GETTING THE LEAD OUT

Yesterday's Waterloo Region Record carried the following story titled "Homes in area may have lead pipes". We are advised that it's not a problem in Waterloo Region despite the probability that several hundred homes couuld be serviced with lead pipes. We are also advised that "most" homes built after the 1950s do not have lead pipes. I find it odd that there are only "hundreds" of homes throughout Waterloo Region that are only sixty-five years old. My family moved to Waterloo in 1954 from Toronto and into a new home in an established neighbourhood. That entire neighbourhood and its' homes are still there and I do not consider it to be remotely an older part of Waterloo. Later in the article we are then advised that there might be 1,500 homes with lead pipes in the City of Waterloo alone. Neither Kitchener nor Cambridge have provided estimates.

Allegedly the safe limit for lead in water is 10 parts per billion. Lead reduces I.Q.and increases behavioural problems and learning disabilities. One suggestion is that suspected homes should flush their water every morning after it's been sitting in the pipes overnite. Running the water for five minutes or until it's cold can get rid of any chemicals that have leached into the water while it's been sitting in the pipes. Keep in mind that the learning disabilities etc. can have greater effects upon children and I would also suspect pregnant women.

The province of Ontario have a separate more stringent set of regulations for schools and daycare centres. They require weekly flushing of pipes and regular testing. Really? I wonder how many actually do that. I wonder what kind of enforcement of those regulastions there are. I wonder how many private daycares in older homes are even aware of those regulations. Finally Lead would not be tested for in our drinking water in the Region of Waterloo Annual Drinking Water Reports for a very obvious reason. The lead is introduced AFTER the drinking water leaves the treatment centre and primarily after it flows through the distribution system throughout the cities. It gets into the water primarily right at your home. Hence there is no testing for lead prior to your taps discharging your drinking water.