New chemical in Edmonton water to help prevent lead buildup
A new colourless, odourless chemical that is designed to act as a barrier to keep lead out of Edmonton's drinking water is now running through the city's taps.
As of last week, Epcor began adding orthophosphate to the water distribution network to prevent harmful lead from being dissolved off of pipes and moving into the tap water Edmontonians consume.
Jeff Charrois, analytical operations senior manager, told CTV News Edmonton that most people will be unable to notice a difference as the compound is tasteless.
"They don't have to do anything with their water," Charrois explained. "It's just sort of going to be there now in the background."
Epcor began planning to add orthophosphate to the city's water several years ago after Health Canada decreased the standards for approved levels of lead in drinking water from 10 micrograms per litre to five.
"When water leaves the treatment plant here at Epcor, there is no measurable lead," Charrois said. "It's picked up along the journey from the treatment plant into people's homes. And typically you would find lead in homes that might have lead service lines."
Charrois says there are still around 2,100 Epcor-owned service lines that still have pipes with lead — or roughly one and a half per cent of all lines. The utility provider does not know how many private plumbing systems contain soldering or fixtures with the harmful metal.
"[Orthophosphate] is going to be effective for the unknown, unknowns," Charrois said. "The areas that we may not have any testing in but where lead might actually be existing."
Epcor's Jeff Charrois speaks with CTV News Edmonton (CTV News Edmonton/Amanda Anderson).
Epcor closely monitors homes connected to the service lines containing lead, Charrois says. In 2019, approximately 325 tested over 25 micrograms per litre.
"So in those high-priority homes, we targeted those for lead service line removal and we've gotten basically to the bottom of that list this year," he said.
To find out more or for tips on identifying the type of pipes your home has, visit Epcor's website.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian gov't proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada, amid extensive scrutiny over past meddling attempts and an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Boeing Starliner capsule's first crewed test flight postponed
The long-awaited first crewed test flight of Boeing's new Starliner space capsule was called off for at least 24 hours over a technical issue that launch teams were unable to resolve in time for the planned Monday night lift-off.
Teacher charged in historical sexual assault of Calgary teenage girl
Calgary police have charged a teacher with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl more than 20 years ago.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Newfoundland and Labrador latest province to tighten rules on Airbnbs
Newfoundland and Labrador is the latest jurisdiction to bring in stricter rules for short-term rentals, with a coming set of regulations that will force operators to register with the provincial government.