In a recent release, the City of Port Alberni has confirmed the findings of lead in some City facilities’ drinking water, and the immediate action taken to solve the issues.
After the Pacific Rim School District conducted lead testing in late 2024, Port Alberni began testing drinking water at older City facilities to ensure it met the guidelines for safe drinking water.
The initial sampling focused on high-traffic areas where people regularly consume water, such as faucets and drinking fountains.
After testing, the results revealed that several locations within City facilities exceeded the 0.005 mg/L (5 parts per billion) maximum allowable concentration (MAC) of lead in water, as set by Health Canada.
However, many water sources within the facilities still provide potable drinking water.
“While these findings are concerning, they are being addressed, and quickly,” said Mike Fox, CAO at the City of Port Alberni.
“These finding [sic] are also indicative of a larger trend within our community. With Port Alberni’s older building stock, we want to take this opportunity to encourage households that pre-date 1975 to undertake private water testing.”
Testing results & actions taken
According to the City’s media release, a total of 68 water samples were taken from 34 different water sources across City facilities.
The testing process included taking 34 samples before flushing—so the water had been sitting stagnant in the pipes, which can increase lead concentration; then 34 samples after a 3-minute flush to clear out the stagnant water, which would reflect exposure during regular use.
The results showed that, before flushing, 14 water sources had lead levels exceeding 0.005 mg/L. After a 3-minute flush, three sources still had lead levels above the safe limit.
In response to these findings, the City has immediately posted signage or shut off water supply at the affected locations.
Filtration systems are on-order for installation at the points of consumption that will remain in service.
Additional testing is also underway across all City facilities to ensure ongoing compliance with Health Canada’s drinking water guidelines.
As testing continues, the City is committed to being transparent throughout the process. Results and testing locations will be updated regularly on the City’s website.
“At the City, we will continue systematic testing and are committed to being transparent throughout the process. All testing locations and readings will be available online,” concluded Mr. Fox.
What you need to know about lead in drinking water
Lead can enter drinking water when it comes into contact with lead pipes or fixtures containing lead for long periods.
Though Canada banned lead in new plumbing systems in 1975, older buildings, particularly those that haven’t undergone significant upgrades, may still have lead plumbing or fixtures.
Even in systems without lead pipes, lead can still leach into water from sources like lead solder or brass fixtures.
According to Health Canada’s Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality, the maximum allowable lead concentration is 0.005 mg/L (5 parts per billion), measured directly from the tap.
