Lead found in court building’s water

February report finds Superior Court of Justice surpassed standards

High levels of lead have been found in the drinking water at the downtown Toronto Superior Court of Justice building, according to a new report obtained by the Star.

Lead was identified in several locations inside the 50-year-old building in excess of Ontario Drinking Water Quality Standards, reads the executive summary of the report prepared by Pinchin Ltd., an environmental engineering consulting firm. “There may be multiple sources of lead throughout the building’s potable water system,” says the report dated Feb. 9, 2018.

The property manager retained Pinchin after its client, the Ministry of the Attorney General, expressed concerns regarding the quality of the water pouring through the taps, the report states.

Construction of the building was completed in 1967.

“Given the age of the building, it is possible that there are sources of lead in the site’s potable water system, including lead solder, and/or brass fittings that are contributing to the exceedances,” or excessive amounts.

“Historically, lead pipes were used in the city’s drinking water distribution networks. It is possible that lead pipes may be connecting the City of Toronto’s distribution network to the base building, contributing to the exceedances.” Pinchin recommends the property manager post signs on the identified faucets advising the site’s occupants, who include court staff, lawyers, judges, police officers, jurors and prisoners, not to consume the water.

The company is also advising the property manager install 53 certified water filters on the sources where the samples exceeded Ontario drinking water standards. Alternatively, water coolers should be added, the report says.

The building receives its potable water from municipal supplies and is not a regulated facility under the Safe Drinking Water Act. And because it is not a school or nursery, it is not subject to the Act’s regulatory requirements. Water was sampled from a range of sources including the basement cafeteria, Toronto police and Crown attorney lunchrooms, a judge’s lounge, cell area kitchen faucet and various water fountains throughout the building.

Test results identified lead concentration levels exceeding the Safe Drinking Water Act in two group cell faucets on the eighth floors and four drinking fountains on the fifth and sixth floors.

The report says “a discussion on the potential exposure and health effects of lead in drinking water was outside the scope of this investigation.”

The Ministry of the Attorney General did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

MAG and Infrastructure Ontario recently awarded a $956.5-million contract to EllisDon Infrastructure to design, build, finance and maintain a new Toronto courthouse located across the street from the existing court building.

The new courthouse will unite many of Toronto’s satellite Ontario courts. But the Superior Court, or 361 as it’s commonly known, will continue to operate as one of the world’s busiest trial courts. Construction on the new building is expected to start in the next few months. Its scheduled completion date is the spring of 2022.

Report recommends warnings against using drinking fountains at 50-year-old building