Volunteers Needed!!!
Help your community and sign up today
In 2007, The Ministry of the Environment made a series of changes to the regulations regarding sampling and testing of lead in drinking water. These changes require the municipality to sample and test private plumbing in residential and commercial buildings. The Town is seeking volunteers for the December 15th to April 15th sampling round.
If your house was built prior to 1955, you may have lead plumbing within your home. Homes built before 1990 may also have lead piping. In 1989, the building code was changed to ban lead piping and the use of solder.
The process is fairly simple. Those interested in volunteering will be contacted by a Utilities Operator who will gather your information and arrange an appointment Monday to Friday between 7:00am – 2:30pm. You will be asked to run your kitchen tap (preferably with the aerator or any other devises removed) for 5 minutes. Once this is complete you will be asked not to use the water for 30 to 40 minutes. The Operator will come to your house and take two samples from your tap. The samples are analyzed at an accredited laboratory. Once the town is aware of the results, you will be sent a letter by mail with a copy of the results. The Ontario Drinking Water Standard for lead is 10 µg/L, which is equivalent to 0.010 mg/L. The Ontario Drinking Water Quality Standard for lead has been very conservatively established to reduce exposure to that metal, particularly by children under the age of 6, pregnant women, and women planning a pregnancy.
If you are interested in being placed on the lead sampling volunteer list
Fill out the online form below and an Operator from the Utilities Department will contact you. Or contact Superintendent of Water & Wastewater Don Richards at 613-382-2149 x 1118 or by email utilitysuperintendent@gananoque.ca
For more information on ‘Lead in Drinking Water’, visit the Ontario Ministry of Environment website at www.ontario.ca/drinkingwater, or call the Ontario Government Public Information Centre at 1-800-565-4923.
