November 5, 2019

Andrew Campbell 

Flint is a city located along the Flint River about 106 kilometers (66 miles) northwest of Detroit in Michigan. Flint had encountered a tap water crisis in 2015 after lead contamination was discovered in its aging lead pipe infrastructure. Worst of all, there was a deadly public health threat while the Legionella bacteria were spread into tap water and resulted in the death of 12 residents.

An intensive joint investigation from Global News, the University of Regina School of Journalism and Concordia University’s Institute for Investigative Journalism were carried out to analyze the tap water system in cities of Canada from 2013 to 2018. According to 2,600 tap water sampling measurements, 58% of the samples in 3 cities, Regina, Saskatoon, and Moose Jaw in southern Saskatchewan, measured lead levels that exceeded Health Canada’s recommended 5 parts per billion (ppb), and the average result was 22 ppb. Among these samples taken from 450 older households equipped with lead pipes of municipal water systems, one third exceeded 5 parts per billion (ppb) specified in the national safety guideline.

The World Health Organization has no definite regulations on the safe level of lead in human beings. In adults, lead contamination increases the risk of high blood pressure, cardiovascular illness, kidney dysfunction, and women's pregnancy complications. In children, lead contamination has been linked to behavioral problems such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder as well as IQ loss.

As Canada owns the 3rd largest per-capita freshwater reserve in the world, lead contamination in Canadian cities has alerted an urgent resolution needed to solve its aging lead pipe infrastructure.

Photo:Webshot.