Below the beautiful City of the Thousand Islands lies a dark secret.  Over three hundred older homes in our city get their drinking water through Lead Service Lines. 

Lead is an insidious public health hazard with serious long-term health risks and experts agree there is no safe level of lead in drinking water.  Yet, many home-owners are unaware that they may have lead water pipes between the street and their meter.

Unlike some municipalities, the City of Brockville makes no effort to inform affected residents and offers no temporary solutions.  While the City does maintain a mandatory annual budget for lead water service line replacements, it publishes no schedule. At the current rate, it will take at least another 25-30 years to replace them all.

Lead is a heavy metal and a neurotoxin.  Adults may experience  increased blood pressure, cardiovascular and kidney problems.  Health Canada warns that children under six are particularly vulnerable and may suffer deficiencies in brain development, reduction of IQ and behavioural issues.  Mothers can even pass absorbed lead to the fetus during pregnancy.

Yet, Ontario still clings to an outdated standard for testing.  And municipalities typically only test at water mains.  We pay for water - it should be safe at the tap - not just at the main.  

Replacing water service lines can be expensive, so many municipalities add corrosion inhibitors to keep lead lines in service longer.  Some  promote partial service line replacements even though it typically increases levels of lead in water for at least six months afterwards. 

The only real solution is full replacement of lead water service lines.

In 2025, the Ontario Infrastructure Minister announced a $175-million Health and Safety Water Stream under the Municipal Housing Infrastructure Program (MHIP), to cover up to 70 percent of the cost of projects aimed at improving existing infrastructure. This represents a significant opportunity to expedite replacement of lead water service pipes, but each municipality has to apply for the funding according to their own priorities.  

With so many projects, and so many budget constraints, City councillors and administrators need to be reminded of the importance of this issue.

So, 

We demand that the City of Brockville:

1. Implement a policy of transparency - to inform affected home-owners of the risks of water-borne lead and how to mitigate them, and;
2. Apply for funding under the Health and Safety Water Stream program to expedite lead water service replacements, and to seek out other funding streams toward that end, and;
3. Commit to a publicly-available schedule for replacement of all lead water service lines in Brockville, and;
4. Develop support and incentives to home owners pro-actively seeking to replace their own lead service lines, or provide temporary supports like testing and filters until those lines can be replaced. 

Positive change requires public education and engagement. 

If you have read this far, please take the additional time to add your signature and consider contacting your City councillor or MPP to express your concerns - or forward to a friend who may have lead water pipes.

Together we can encourage Brockville to take action now, for our health, for our children, and for our future.

 

PS. Don't forget to check out the updates - intended to provide useful information for anyone looking to replace their own lead water service lines.

PPS. Not in Brockville?  Call your own municipal office or city hall to find out if they have a lead water service pipe replacement program.