Regina to test drinking water for lead

The City of Regina is testing water for lead in a number of older neighbourhoods, starting later this month.

Exposure to lead has been linked with neuro-cognitive, cardiovascular and other health effects, according to Health Canada.

Federal standards require lead levels to be below .01 miligrams per litre of water. That's five times higher than the levels found in the drinking water coming from the Buffalo Pound water treatment plant, which supplies Regina, the city says.

However, higher levels may be found in tap water because the service connections between water mains and people's homes can contain lead, particularly in older neighbourhoods. As well, some older homes also have lead plumbing.

There are about 5,000 lead service connections throughout the city. The testing will concentrate on the downtown and the Old Lakeview, Cathedral, North Central and General Hospital areas.

A sample of residents will get letters asking them to participate in the study, the city says. When the results are complete in September, the results will be posted online.

Sixty homes with lead connections and 40 with lead-free connections will be tested.

Similar tests were done in Saskatoon last year and earlier this year.

Saskatoon concluded its water was safe, but recommended that some 6,700 homeowners with lead service connections or lead pipes flush their water for several minutes before drinking.