Do you live in a home that was built prior to 1955? If the old lead pipes have not been replaced, you may be at risk drinking water that contains unsafe levels of lead. As an immediate precaution it is recommended that you run your taps for at least 5 minutes to flush out the lead before you drink any water.

The most recent tests were conducted on 100 homes in Toronto that were built prior to 1955 and more than half of the homes tested had unacceptable levels of lead in their drinking water. The homeowners and the public health officials were notified. The good news is that the problem was discovered. The bad news is that it is very expensive to replace the lead pipes. Although the city of Toronto is picking up the tab for a portion of the replacement cost, each home owner will be responsible for more that $2,000 in charges. Could this have come at a worse time? What do you do when money is tight? Do you allow your family to be at risk? What can you do if the money is just not there? The number of homes that may actually be affected is alarming. There may be as many as 65,000 homes with lead pipes that were installed prior to 1955 that could be affected.

Health Canada warns that exposure to high levels of lead even in the short term can produce symptoms including vomiting, diarrhea, convulsions, coma, or even death. Long term exposure can damage the brain and nervous system, particularly in pregnant women and children who are at the most risk.

To request free testing for lead in your drinking water call the Water Quality Lab at 416-392-2894 or send an email to waterqualityline@toronto.ca. For more information visit the City of Toronto website http://www.toronto.ca/water/supply/lead_test.htm.