Do you have lead pipes in your house? PUC wants to hear from you

The PUC is working to ensure lead levels in Sault Ste. Marie's tap water remain low.

Lead does not come from the city's water supply, but trace amounts of it can flow into tap water flowing from the interior of lead pipes in older homes.

Lead presents health risks to all, especially for pregnant women and children six and under.

An update on lead testing was given by Dominic Parrella, PUC president and CEO, to the PUC's board of directors Tuesday.

In keeping with provincial law, the PUC is currently testing tap water at residential and non-residential sites in Sault Ste. Marie.

Parrella told the board there are an estimated 350 places out of 25,000 service lines in the PUC's area which have lead pipes.

"It's a very small proportion of the total," Parrella said.

Provincial regulations state 10 parts per billion (10 ppb) is the safety threshold when it comes to lead in tap water.

"If it's above that we provide (PUC customers) with filters on the tap …which reduce the lead content," Parrella told the board.

Parrella is encouraging any residents with concerns about lead to call the PUC at 705-759-6522 and have their tap water tested.

Testing is free and involves taking a water sample from the kitchen tap.

If desired, the PUC will put the paperwork in place for interest-free loans of approximately $2,500 for customers who wish to have lead pipes in and around their homes replaced, Parrella told the board.

Mayor Christian Provenzano, a PUC board member, asked Parrella if the general public is aware of the interest-free loans for qualified customers. 

"We have communicated that publicly on a number of occasions, when we released our water quality improvement strategy, and the information is available on our website as well," Parrella replied.

"We will replace it on the street at no cost to the customer, but the customer is responsible for the pipe on their property so we will provide an interest-free loan to do that," he told SooToday after Tuesday's meeting.

"Relatively few take us up on it, we get two or three a year," Parrella said.

In Sault Ste. Marie, lead pipes are typically found in homes built between 1943 and 1948 (during a shortage of copper), while other sources of lead in tap water come from brass in plumbing fixtures and from solder used before 1990.

Keeping an eye on lead levels is part of the PUC's overall water quality improvement project, Parrella told the board.

"Any customer (not only those with lead pipes) should open their tap and allow their water to flow until it runs cold, until there's a noticeable change in temperature, which means you'll be getting water from our distribution system out on the street," Parrella said.

"At that point it's highly unlikely that there will be any lead in the water."  

Giordan Zin, PUC communications supervisor, said the PUC is in the process of putting together a communications campaign with Algoma Public Health (APH) which will aim to address any local concerns about tap water and lead.