One week ago, we had the pit inside our retaining wall down to 10 ft and found the lead service line there, and finished trenching back to the service entrance at the house to 4ft depth except for a short section of limestone under the front stair landing that would take some minor jack-hammering to remove the last few inches of depth. 

The photo is a fish-eye view from the 10ft deep deep pit looking back towards the house, showing some support work holding back the long, high mounds of soil and stones that extends across the whole front yard.  A second pile is seen in the background as we ran out of space on the main pile - both are tarped up for rain protection.  All of this was done with sweat and tears...

But let's get back to business.

For anyone looking for more information as might apply to your own residence, I have started a summary to give folks a head-start.  Please note that I am doing this in my spare time armed only with a camera and an internet connection, with not much time for fact-checking, so please do your own due diligence.

Start here: https://www.ontario.ca/page/information-property-owners-about-lead-water-service-line-replacement

What is Lead?:  
Lead (Pb) is a soft silvery metal that was used in many building products in the past. Until 1975, lead pipes were commonly used for water services.

What is a “service pipe”?: 
Simply, the underground pipe from a home to a city water-main.  Brockville alone has hundreds of homes that are served by lead pipes underground to this day.
Typically the home-owner is responsible for the “private portion” of the service pipe from the property line to the home’s water meter, while the city is responsible for the portion from the property line to the water main under the street.  The city portion is sometimes called a “lateral”.  The shut-off valve at the street that connects the two sections is called a “curb-stop”.

Why worry?: 
Lead accumulates in our organs and has serious health effects even at low exposure levels. It can severely affect brain development and nervous system function, especially in children. Prolonged exposure can lead to learning disabilities, behavioural problems, and even lower IQ levels.  Through the placenta, mothers can pass lead to a fetus during pregnancy, and to a baby through breast-milk.  Children under 6 are still very vulnerable.  Even in adults, prolonged exposure to even small amounts can lead to kidney damage, high blood pressure, and anemia.

Regulations: 
The World Health Organization says there is no safe level of lead in drinking water.

In 2019, Health Canada reduced their guidance for maximum lead concentration in drinking water by half, to 5 parts per billion (ppb).  But in Ontario, the Safe Drinking Water Act (O. Reg. 169/03) maintains a standard of 10 ppb ( 10 µg/L ). The Act clearly recognizes that people are entitled to expect safe drinking water though, and provides for the protection of human health from drinking water health hazards through controls, testing, and regulations.  Municipalities must comply with requirements of the Ontario Drinking Water System Regulation (O.Reg. 170/03).  In 2007, The Ministry of the Environment made a series of changes to the regulations requiring municipalities to sample and test private plumbing in residential and commercial buildings.

What are we doing about this problem?:  

Not enough, IMHO.  While the Ontario government provides funding to municipalities through the Ontario Community Infrastructure Fund (OCIF) and other application-based programs, it does not direct them to spend it on specific projects.  In other words, each town, city or region determines their own policy for lead pipe replacement.  Brockville’s policy, like some others, is to phase in replacements during other scheduled infrastructure projects, essentially on a street-by-street basis.  The primary reason we are not more pro-active is because it is expensive.  A typical home-owner can expect to pay in the range of $3000 - $10,000 to replace the private portion of their water service pipe, and municipalities have limited budgets for the replacement of the public portions.  In the end, it comes down to “health vs. dollars”, and sadly, “dollars” often wins.

How can I tell if my house has a lead water service?:
If you have an older home (pre-1958), it is very likely.  Even up to 1990, there is a possibility.  If you can find an exposed pipe at the point where it enters your home near the water meter, scratching the pipe with a dull blade will reveal a silvery colour beneath the normally dull gray surface of a lead pipe, or you can have your plumber make an assessment. Unfortunately, the lead pipe portion may be concealed behind the basement wall or below the floor slab (like mine was) where it transitions to some other material such as copper, and the public portion is always entirely underground.  The only way to be sure, is to contact the City or municipal office to ask whether your home is served by a lead water service pipe.

What help is available if I want to replace my lead water service?: 
It depends where you live.  Some municipalities have lead water service pipe replacement programs to notify affected home-owners of the health risks and may offer incentives such as interest-free loans to home-owners, or may offer to collaborate to remove the city-portion of a lead service pipe at the same time as a home-owner replaces theirs. Some will even provide NSF-53 certified filters as a temporary measure.  Unfortunately, Brockville does not currently offer any such help .

How does Brockville compare?:
Frankly, not well.

Ottawa provides support to eligible residents for either the partial or full replacement of their water service pipe, including up to $1000 rebate for private-portion-only replacements, and deferred payment plans for full replacements.  They will prioritize replacements for homes with young children, provide water testing, and offer free filter kits while awaiting the work.

Toronto will commit to replacement of the city (public) portion of a lead water service within 12 weeks of an approved application by the home-owner.

Gananoque offers a free volunteer-driven lead sampling program.

Smiths Falls posts a fact sheet for concerned residents on the Town website and offers a free lead testing program.

Is your community doing better?  Shout congratulations from the rooftops!  
Are they doing worse?  Demand better! Call your MPP or your local Councillor, your local Health Unit, or write a letter to the editor of your local paper.

Or start your own "Get the Lead Out! - _____" petition.

 

Thanks for your support!