Lead found in drinking water at 5 B.C. Interior schools
School district says water testing is ongoing
Lead has been found in the drinking water at five schools in the B.C.'s Interior.
Water at Summit Elementary School, Twin Rivers Education Centre, l'ecole Collines d'Or de Kamloops, and Ralph Bell Elementary, all in Kamloops, tested positive for lead from at least one water source at each. Further north, lead was also detected in the water at Vavenby Elementary School.
"All drinking water sources in the school have been sampled and are in the lab being tested," said Michelle Marginet, manager of health and safety for the Kamloops Thompson School District, of the ongoing lead testing at Summit Elementary School.
Taps that are considered unsafe have been turned off and bottled water is being made available for staff and students.
Marginet says the Ministry of Education required all school districts in B.C. to test for lead in water after the Surrey school district found unsafe levels of the element in the drinking water at several schools in 2016.
"It's just an indicator that there may be a problem," said Marginet.
Lead in drinking water can come from a number of places, including lead solder, pipes or the fountain or tap itself.
Marginet says the school board will take action once it determines the source of the lead. That could mean flushing the system, or replacing fountains, taps or pipes.
According to Health Canada, even a small amount of lead can affect young children's development.
Marginet says the school district will not be testing students for lead. Parents are advised to seek advice from a health practitioner if they are concerned.
With files from Daybreak Kamloops