Lead Testing for Municipally Supplied Drinking Water
Service: Treatment System Consulting
Industry: Facilities Management
Project Manager:
Ted Bailey
Contact: Ted@aursi.ca
Aureus Solutions was contracted by federally regulated federal facility (open to the public) to sample the site for lead in the municipally supplied drinking water distribution system.
Lead monitoring, interpretation and management in building/site drinking water distribution systems can be challenging, especially during lower use periods like those experienced during the COVID pandemic. Federally regulated sites can be even more challenging as they are faced with interpreting loose Federal requirements and guidance against Provincial requirements.
Working with the client’s Facility Management group, the Aureus team was able to successfully develop a sampling program (in a complex legal environment), identify and support with removal of sources of lead within the site’s distribution system, guide the client with internal and external communication while improvements were made, and help ensure the improvements addressed any water quality issues.
Client Challenges:
The property was provided by provincially compliant drinking water up to the site connection point, but the Facility Management group was legally responsible for ensuring compliant water quality within the site. However, the Facility Management group has little training or knowledge of their drinking water obligations;
Workers at the site had raised concerns about the water quality within the property distribution system. The site was also open to the public;
The site is federally regulated, and there differences for water quality requirements between federal and municipal. For example, the maximum acceptable concentration for lead in federally regulated drinking water systems was recently lowered under the Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality to 0.005 mg/L, where as the provincial limit is 0.01 mg/L (twice the concentration).
Lead sampling approaches are not well defined for federally regulated facilities, which can create challenges creating a sampling plan that meets legal requirements but also satisfies the concerns of the end users (staff, public).
Identifying lead sources can be very challenging and requires experience.
Responding to lead exceedances can be challenging and any misteps can result in total lack of confidence
Aureus’ Solution:
The Aureus team:
Reviewed the distribution system map, identifying points of high use and high risk (dead-ends, food preparation areas, drinking water areas, etc), and developed an appropriate sampling plan;
Conducted sampling, following best practices that met both the Federal and Provincial guidance/requirements as well as the clients individual needs;
Supported the client respond to adverse results, including management of water quality, signage, regulatory response and site staff communication;
Supported Facility Management identify and remove potential sources of lead; and
Provided follow-up testing services to ensure solutions were effective.
The Outcome:
The client remained in compliance with drinking water requirements, despite some adverse results.
The client ensured the safety of site staff and visitors.
The client supported site staff and visitor confidence in the drinking water.
Contact our team and learn more about Aureus’ operator network and water treatment support.
