Nearly one-third of schools and daycares in Ontario have exceeded the federal maximum acceptable lead concentration in their drinking water.
According to a joint investigation by Global News, The Toronto Star, Ryerson School of Journalism and Concordia University’s Institute for Investigative Journalism, the highest number of lead overages can be found in public schools, including some in Peel District School Board.
The investigation analyzed the results from tests, most of which were performed in a two year period — from April 2016 to March 2018 —to see how they will stack up against this year’s annual testing.
More than 2,000 public schools in Ontario had at least one period of excessive lead in their tests between 2016 and 2018, with some schools clocking multiple instances of lead overages.
Schools in the Peel District School Board logged the most lead overages at 773 instances over the two-year period, followed by Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board with 550 instances, and Ottawa-Carleton District School Board with 501 instances.
Some of the percentages over the threshold in this investigation were dramatic. Around two dozen schools and daycares across the province reported samples higher than 1,000 ppb – levels experts say can immediately impact lead levels in a child’s blood.
One such school was White Oaks Secondary in the Halton District School Board, with 24 samples, each over 28 times the federal threshold of 5 parts per billion (ppb). Ontario’s standard is 10 ppb.
The main source of lead in drinking water is antiquated pipes. Lead is not only in the fixtures, including lead taps and water fountains but also in underground water mains that supply the buildings, in the pipes within the building’s walls and lead solder used to join pipes. But to replace the
Halton Region School Board says the problem is made even worse by standing water in the mains and unused taps during summer breaks.
In the wake of the report some schools and daycares
Lead Parts per Billion for Schools in Peel Region that went over the Federally mandated amounts
| All Saints School | 28.3 |
| Alloa Holding Public School | 30.0 |
| Beatty-Fleming Senior Public School | 75.0 |
| Brandon Gate Public School | 45.2 |
| Briarwood Public School | 39.5 |
| Camilla Road Senior Public School | 50.0 |
| Canadan Christan Academy | 50.0 |
| Cashmere Avenue Public School | 33.3 |
| Centennial Senior Public School | 50.0 |
| Central Park YMCA Child Daycare | 75.0 |
| Central Peel Secondary School | 50.0 |
| Christ Out King Nursery School | 50.0 |
| Clarkson Public School | 42.3 |
| Clarkson Secondary School | 50.0 |
| Conestoga Public School | 30.4 |
| Corliss Public School | 46.4 |
| Corpus Christi School | 39.3 |
| Credit View Public School | 50.0 |
| Dixie Public School | 36.7 |
| Dunrankin Drive Public School | 28.1 |
| Earnscliffe Senior Public School | 50.0 |
| Elm Drive Public School | 47.8 |
| Erin Mills Middle School | 62.5 |
| Eureka Kids – Terra Cotta | 50.0 |
| Glendale Public School | 47.1 |
| Goldcrest Public School | 37.5 |
| Greenbriar Senior Public School | 50.0 |
| Harold F Loughin Public School | 40.9 |
| Harold M. Brathwaite Secondary School | 50.0 |
| Heart Lake Secondary School | 68.2 |
| Helen Wilson Public School | 53.1 |
| Hillsdale Public School | 29.2 |
| Hunberview Secondary School | 45.0 |
| Iverside Public School | 30.0 |
| Jefferson Public School | 37.5 |
| Madoc Drive Public School | 56.4 |
| Maple Wood Public School | 57.7 |
| Marvin heights Public School | 30.4 |
| Masset Street Public School | 36.8 |
| Mchugh Public School | 30.8 |
| Meadowvale Secondary School | 50.0 |
| Miller’s Grove Public School | 37.5 |
| Mineola Public School | 31.8 |
| Mini-Skool Clubhouse 103A | 50.0 |
| Morning Star Middle School | 75.0 |
| Morton Way Public School | 31.2 |
| Otherglen School – Mississauga | 50.0 |
| Our Lady of Mercy | 33.3 |
| Parkway Public School | 27.5 |
| Peekaboo Child Daycare – Avondale | 33.3 |
| Plum Tree Park Public School | 30.8 |
| Rainbow Village Daycare Centre – Mississauga | 50.0 |
| Saint Charles Garnier | 38.2 |
| Saint Gerrard School | 30.6 |
| Saint John of the Cross | 32.3 |
| Saint Patrick School | 27.8 |
| Saint Vincent De Paul School | 57.7 |
| Saints Peter and Pail School | 40.9 |
| Salvation Army Noah’s Arc Daycare | 100.0 |
| San Lorenzo Ruiz | 30.8 |
| Settler’s Green Public School | 37.5 |
| Shelter Bay Public School | 36.7 |
| Sir John A Macdonald Senior Public School | 50.0 |
| Springfield Public School | 30.0 |
| Streetsville Secondary School | 62.5 |
| Terry Fox Public School | 33.3 |
| Thorn Lodge Public School | 29.2 |
| Tomken Road Middle School South | 50.0 |
| Turner Fenton Secondary School North | 66.7 |
| Upper Canada College – Norval Outdoor School | 30.0 |
| W. G. Davis Senior Public School | 50.0 |
| Westacres Public School | 26.9 |
| Whiteoaks Public School | 32.6 |
| Williams Parkway Senior Public School | 55.0 |
If you want to see the full GTA list you can check here.
