Report to: General Committee Date Report Authored: September 30, 2010
SUBJECT: Community Lead Testing Program – Status Report (6)
PREPARED BY: Helena Frantzke, Ext. 2449
RECOMMENDATION:
1) THAT the report titled “Community Lead Testing Program – Status Report (6)” be received;
2) AND THAT staff report back to Council with the findings of the Community Lead Testing Program after completion of sampling period #7;
3) AND FURTHER THAT staff be authorized and directed to do all things necessary to give effect to this resolution.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
Not Applicable
PURPOSE:
The purpose of this report is to notify Council of the findings from the Community Lead Testing Program, for sampling period #6 (June 15, 2010 to October 15, 2010)
BACKGROUND:
On July 26, 2007, the Drinking Water Systems Regulation O.Reg. 170/03 (Schedule 15.1) was amended, requiring mandatory community Lead Testing for lead (Pb) in drinking water at the tap level. Sampling is required semi-annually, between December 15 to April 15 and June 15 to October 15. Currently, Markham is required to sample as a minimum:
· 50 sampling locations from plumbing that serves private residences;
· 5 sampling locations that do not serve private residences (i.e. an industrial, commercial or institutional property (ICI)), and
· 10 sampling locations from the distribution system during each sampling period to verify system conditions in relation to the residential results.
The Waterworks department has previously presented the results of each of the five previous rounds of the Community Lead Test Program. All test results have been below the Ministry of Environment Drinking Water Quality Standard (DWQS) as required by regulation.
OPTIONS/ DISCUSSION:
Reduction
in Sampling:
When the Community Lead Testing Program was introduced in 2007, it included a provision for reduction of the number of samples collected by half, once a large municipality has successfully completed 4 consecutive rounds of lead testing in which less than 10% of the residential samples collected exceeded the DWQS of 0.0100 mg/L. As a result of the Town’s acceptable lead testing results, Markham was able to institute reduced sampling in Round 5. Round 6 continued with the reduced sampling requirements since results from Round 5 continued to show lead levels well below the DWQS of 0.0100 mg/L.
Sampling Locations:
During this round of testing Waterworks collected samples from 75 residences, 10 ICI’s locations and 40 distribution system locations.
Markham has had
tremendous support and interest from its residents from the beginning of the
Community Lead Testing Program. After
volunteers have completed four rounds of sampling without detection of elevated
lead levels, the residence is removed from the roster, and the program is
opened to new participants. As a result,
1 home was graduated from the program having completed 4 rounds of testing
during this round and, 29 homes withdrew from the program or chose not to
complete this round of testing, 31 new homes were enrolled in the program and
44 homes were maintained in the program having completed 3 or fewer rounds of
testing to date.
O. Reg. 170/03 Compliance:
The Town of Markham has met and exceeded all of the testing requirements for lead prescribed by Schedule 15.1 of O. Reg. 170/03 for the sixth round of sampling (June 15, 2010 to October 15, 2010). In addition, as required, the results have been forwarded to the Ministry of the Environment (MOE).
Sampling Results:
The sixth period of sampling began on June 15, 2010 and was completed on September 30, 2010. Results of all tests taken during round #6 continue to be acceptable, below the safe standard for lead of 0.0100 mg/L as set out in the Drinking-Water Systems Regulation (170/03).
The following is a summary of all lead results taken for round 6:
|
Sampling
Round |
Type
of Sample |
#
Samples Taken by |
#
of Samples required by O. Reg. 170/03 |
Drinking
Water Quality Standard (mg/L) |
Average (mg/L) |
Lowest
Value (mg/L) |
Highest
Value (mg/L) |
|
Round #6, June 15, 2010 to October
15, 2010 |
Non-Residential ICI (tap) |
10 |
5 |
0.0100 |
0.0009 |
0.0001 |
0.0068 |
|
Residential (tap) |
75 |
50 |
0.0100 |
0.0003 |
<0.0001 |
0.0024 |
|
|
Distribution System |
40 |
10 |
0.0100 |
0.0004 |
0.0002 |
0.0008 |
Observations:
The distribution of lead concentration in mg/L over the last six rounds of testing demonstrates the majority of residences in the Markham area experience lead levels of 0.0003 mg/L or less.
The Town of Markham lead test results for all six (6) sampling periods, undertaken to date show that the average of lead from all homes in Markham are consistently well below the DWQS of 0.0100 mg/L. A review of the last six rounds of samples indicates that the average lead result at the homes of our residents is 0.0003 mg/L, while the majority of resident results were 0.0001 mg/L, well below the DWQS. The average pH for this round of testing was 7.1. This neutral pH, a well buffered system and the absence of lead services have helped to keep Markham from experiencing any issue with lead in it’s drinking water.
Notification of Results:
All participants who took part in the sixth round of testing have been mailed a copy of their sample report accompanied by a letter explaining the results. A summary of the results from the sixth round of testing has been posted on Markham’s Website, providing general information for all of Markham residents. The Ministry of the Environment has been provided with a summary of all results for the sixth round of sampling.
Program Next Steps:
The requirement to undertake community wide sampling is a permanent requirement under O. Reg. 170/03. The next sampling round is December 15, 2010 to April 15, 2011.
Markham will continue to monitor the lead levels in the homes of the volunteers, as well as allow more residents, currently part of the volunteer database, to have access to this Water Quality program by graduating volunteers who have completed four (4) rounds of testing.
As Markham has yet to experience a single lead test above the DWQS, we will continue to monitor any changes in the regulations that may permit us to reduce the community lead testing program even further.
FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS AND TEMPLATE: (external link)
Not Applicable
HUMAN RESOURCES CONSIDERATIONS
Not Applicable
ALIGNMENT WITH STRATEGIC PRIORITIES:
Not Applicable
BUSINESS UNITS CONSULTED AND AFFECTED:
Not Applicable
The report presented herein, communicates the results of the Community Lead Testing Program – Sampling Period #6 (June 15, 2010 to October 15, 2010) to the Drinking Water System Owner.
The undersigned represent the Top Management of Town of Markham’s Drinking Water Distribution System and by signing below the Top Management of the Operating Authority have reviewed the Community Lead Testing – Sampling Period #6 results identified by Waterworks.
RECOMMENDED
BY: ________________________ ________________________
Jerry Klaus Peter
Loukes, P.Eng.
General
Manager, Waterworks Director,
Operations
________________________
Brenda
Librecz
Commissioner,
Community and Fire Services
________________________
John Livey
Chief
Administrative Officer