Alarming Lead Levels Detected in Water at Third Yellowknife School, Raising Public Health Concerns

A disturbing discovery has sent ripples of concern through Yellowknife's education community: a third school, École Allain St-Cyr, has reported alarmingly high lead levels in its drinking water. This latest finding adds to a growing list of water safety issues within the city's schools, prompting urgent action and renewed calls for comprehensive solutions to safeguard student health.

Tests conducted at École Allain St-Cyr, a French-language school, revealed lead concentrations significantly exceeding Health Canada's guidelines.

Specifically, a sample taken from a classroom sink on June 12 registered 0.038 milligrams per litre (mg/L). This figure is more than seven times higher than the national guideline of 0.005 mg/L, triggering immediate alarm and a swift response from school authorities. While other samples from the same school tested within acceptable limits, the single elevated reading is enough to warrant serious concern and intervention.

This is not an isolated incident for Yellowknife.

The alarming news from École Allain St-Cyr follows similar reports from Mildred Hall School and École St. Joseph School, where elevated lead levels were also detected in their water supplies. The recurrence of such issues points to a systemic problem potentially rooted in the aging infrastructure of school buildings rather than the municipal water supply itself.

In response to the latest discovery, the Commission scolaire francophone des Territoires du Nord-Ouest, the school board responsible for École Allain St-Cyr, has acted decisively.

The affected tap has been immediately shut off, and bottled water is now being provided to students and staff as a precautionary measure. Parents have been promptly notified of the situation, ensuring transparency and allowing families to make informed decisions regarding their children's well-being.

The City of Yellowknife has reiterated that its municipal water system meets all federal and territorial standards for lead, reinforcing the belief that the contamination source lies within the plumbing systems of individual school buildings.

This distinction is crucial for directing efforts toward the most effective solutions.

N.W.T. Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Kami Kandola has issued comprehensive recommendations to all schools across the territory. Schools that have already undergone lead testing are advised to continue their monitoring programs.

For those without prior testing, Dr. Kandola strongly recommends initiating lead testing protocols. Should high levels be detected, schools are urged to provide alternative drinking water sources, such as bottled water, or to install certified lead-removal filters at affected taps.

The ongoing challenge of lead in school drinking water has been a national concern, highlighted by a 2019 investigation that revealed widespread issues across Canada.

In response, the N.W.T. government committed in 2020 to funding lead testing in schools, a vital step towards identifying and mitigating risks. These recent findings in Yellowknife underscore the critical importance of continued vigilance, proactive testing, and robust remediation strategies to ensure safe drinking water for all students and school personnel.