A new study has found that some Canadian cities have higher levels of lead in their drinking water than Flint, Michigan, which has become synonymous with contaminated H20.
The year-long investigation, conducted by more than 120 journalists from nine universities and 10 media groups including The Associated Press and the Institute for Investigative Journalism at Concordia University in Montreal, reviewed thousands of previously undisclosed results and tested water from hundreds of homes in 11 different cities. Researchers recorded lead levels above national safety directives, including at some schools and daycares.
Receive News & Ratings Via Email – Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts’ ratings with MarketBeat.com’s FREE daily email newsletter.
About one-third of tests exceeded the with some of the highest levels recorded, Regina and Prince Rupert, B.C. Prolonged exposure to high amounts of lead over months or years can result in, which can cause serious health effects, particularly among young children.
In Canada, there is no national mandate to test drinking water and agencies that conduct tests have no obligation to inform residents. Provinces set their own rules for water testing and lead pipe replacement. In British Columbia, where Prince Rupert recorded lead levels of 15.6 ppb, municipalities are not required to test tap water.
“To date, the investigation has found that regulations across Canada fail to confront lead as aggressively as federal regulations in the United States,” said Patti Sonntag, director of Concordia’s Institute for Investigative Journalism, in a.