Lead Water Service pipes?
Information for Homeowners

Background

London's drinking water comes from two water treatment systems on the shores of Lakes Huron and Erie. Underground transmission pipes deliver this water to London where it is distributed through our Water Distribution System. Water flows through water mains under London's streets, and then through water service pipes which connect to each building. The public portion of the water service pipe runs from the water main under your street to the property line that separates public property from your property. The private portion runs from the property line into your house, ending at your water meter.

Before 1953, lead was commonly used as a service pipe material. Houses built after 1952 used copper, and more recently, plastic for water service pipes. Today, fewer than 10 per cent of London homes are serviced by a lead pipe. The Ontario Drinking Water Standard for lead is 10 micrograms per litre. This means that water with a lead concentration below this Standard does not represent a health hazard. The water flowing through London's Distribution System has a very low level of lead; less than 1 microgram per litre. Houses that do not have a lead service pipe will receive water that also contains this low level of lead. If, however, water travels through a lead pipe between the water main and the house, it has the opportunity to pick up trace amounts of lead from the interior surface of that pipe. In 2006, the City of London decided to offer free lead testing of tap water for Londoners who live in older homes that may have lead service pipes, despite the fact that Ontario regulation only required municipalities to test for lead in samples from the distribution system. The Nov/Dec 2006 "Enviroworks" flyer that accompanied London's Hydro and Water Bills was dedicated to the topic of lead service pipes and the offer of free lead testing was publicized. Since then, the City of London has tested water samples from almost 9,000 London homes. Most of the houses sampled did not have lead service pipes and, consequently, had very low levels of lead in their water. Those houses that did have lead service pipes were found to have higher levels of lead, often exceeding the 10 microgram per litre Standard.

More Lead Information

Use these links to help you find out answers to frequently asked questions.

Where is lead most commonly found?
Am I in danger?
Who is most at risk?
How does City of London water rate?
Why would some households test higher for lead in their drinking water?
How can I tell if I have a lead service pipe?
If I have a lead service pipe. what can I do to reduce lead in my drinking water?
What is the City doing about lead levels that exceed the Provincial Standard?
What is pH?
What causes water to have different pH levels?
How is the pH of London's water being increased?
Has the Sodium content of London's water increased?
Is it unnatural to have a pH of 8.0 or higher in drinking water?
How does the City determine if the pH changes are reducing lead levels?
Is this a problem that is affecting London in particular?
What is the Province doing about lead in drinking water?
Can I have my water tested for lead?
Can I have my lead service pipe replaced?
Where can I get more information about lead?

Where is lead most commonly found?
Lead is present almost everywhere in nature and has been used in many consumer products in the past. Today, lead is found in food, air, water, old paint, soil and dust. Lead can be taken in by the body when ingested or inhaled. Amounts taken in can vary from person to person depending on the form of the lead and the person's metabolism.

Am I in danger?
There have been very few reported cases of lead poisoning in Canada. Lead exposure has been reduced over the last 40 years with the elimination of lead used in food cans, gasoline, paint, solder and lead service connections.

Who is most at risk?
Because of the smaller mass and higher metabolic rate of children under six years of age (including the fetuses of pregnant women), these populations are most at risk.

How does City of London water rate?
The City of London's drinking water system supplies excellent water which is well within the Ontario Ministry of the Environment Standards. Tested annually, the City's distribution system lead levels are very low - less than 1 microgram per litre. This is significantly lower than the Ministry of the Environment Standard of 10 micrograms per litre.

Why would some households test higher for lead in their drinking water?
Some homes in London, built before the mid-1950s, may have lead levels higher than Provincial Standards due to lead water service pipes running from the City's water main in the street into the home. As water travels through the lead service pipe it can uptake trace amounts of lead and may exceed the Provincial Standard.

How can I tell if I have a lead service pipe?
The map identifies areas in the City of London which may have lead services. Lead service pipes were often used in London prior to 1953. To check for yourself, locate your water meter, typically found in the basement, and look at the pipe coming up through the basement floor into the bottom of the water meter. Lead is grey, does not echo if you gently strike it, scratches easily and leaves metallic marks when you rub the scratched area against paper.

If I have a lead service pipe, what can I do to reduce lead in my drinking water?
Always run your taps before drinking water from them. Allow the water to run until it is noticeably cooler and then continue running the water for a few minutes. Save the water you run during this process for plant watering or washing the dishes. If you flush the toilet or have a shower first thing in the morning, this will reduce the amount of time that you'll need to run the taps.

Always use the cold water tap for making beverages and food preparation. Clean the faucet aerators (small screens) regularly.

Consumers can purchase water filters that attach to their faucet and remove lead from tap water. Make sure any filtration product purchased is certified as meeting the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) International standard for reducing lead by looking for the "ANSI/NSF 53" stamp on the filter packaging. When using filtration devices, it is very important to follow the manufacturer's instructions carefully. More information on water filters is available at The Middlesex-London Health Unit website: Drinking Water

What is the City doing about lead levels that exceed the Provincial Standard?
The City of London is using a three-pronged approach to address the elevated lead levels in the homes of those Londoners with lead service pipes:

1. Education and Awareness
   The City of London continues to provide information to Londoners regarding lead service pipes and the risks associated with lead. Enviroworks flyers (inserts with London Hydro/City of London Water bills in 2006 and 2007 have been dedicated to lead awareness and were mailed to every London household. A detailed brochure was prepared in conjunction with the Middlesex-London Health Unit and was delivered in August 2007 to all 28,000 London homes that were constructed prior to 1953. Multiple press releases dating back to 2006, and this web-site, are other methods that the City has employed to communicate with Londoners regarding this important topic. Free lead testing is still available to Londoners living in older areas where lead services may exist.
   
2. Replacing Lead Service Pipes
   The City replaces the public portion (referred to as the Service Stub) of approximately 300 service pipes annually in conjunction with various water main renewal projects. Homeowners are encouraged to replace the private portion (referred to as the Service Extension) of their water service pipe at the same time. The City provides advance notification to homeowners prior to the start of these renewal projects.

   If the water main is not scheduled for replacement, the homeowner can request replacement of their lead service pipe under the Lead Service Replacement Program.
   
   If you choose to replace your lead service pipe, the City will replace the public portion of the service pipe at no cost, as outlined in the City of London Water By-law W-3 Clause 6.17(b). To help manage the expense of replacing your portion, the City has developed a loan program so that the cost can be applied to your property tax bill and paid back over ten years.

   In the 2005 budget process $500,000 per year was added to the Watermain Replacement and the Cleaning and Relining Rehabilitation programs to accelerate them over the next 20 years to achieve a sustainable piped distribution system. This increase was in addition to the $7,000,000 spent annually on these two programs representing approximately one third of the total annual water capital budget.
   

3. Adjusting the Water Treatment
   In March of 2007, the City of London began working with an environmental consultant to investigate methods of changing our water treatment process to reduce the tendency of the water to pick up lead from lead service pipes. Many different methods of reducing lead uptake are employed worldwide. As every water source has unique characteristics, careful study was required to determine the best method for London’s water source and distribution system. Our research indicated that increasing the water's pH water was the most appropriate of the available remediation options for London. The water in Lake Huron has a pH of approximately 8.2. The water treatment processes at the Grand Bend water treatment facility lower this pH to approximately 7.1, and we have determined that raising the pH after the treatment should result in lower lead levels. Equipment was installed at the Grand Bend water treatment facility in order to raise the pH of the treated water, and pH elevation began in January 2008. Significant lead reductions have been measured in London homes since that time.

What is pH?
pH is a measure of the acidity of the water. The opposite of an acid is called a "base". pH is measured on a scale which ranges from 0 to 14. Water with a pH of 7 is neutral; neither acidic nor basic. A pH reading below 7 indicates that water is acidic, and a reading above 7 indicates that water is basic. Lower pH readings indicate stronger acids and higher pH readings indicate stronger bases.

What causes water to have different pH levels?
The chemical formula for water is H₂O. This means that each water molecule is composed of 2 atoms of Hydrogen (H) and one atom of Oxygen (O). Some water molecules naturally break apart into Hydrogen ions (H⁺) and Hydroxyl ions (OH^-). An "ion" has an electric charge, represented by + or - signs.

Water pH Basics:

• If the number of Hydrogen ions in water is equal to the number of Hydroxyl ions, then the water is neutral and has a pH of 7.
• If the water has more Hydrogen ions than Hydroxyl ions, then the water is acidic and the pH will be less than 7.
• If the water has more Hydroxyl ions than Hydrogen ions, then the water is basic and the pH will be higher than 7.

How is the pH of London's water being increased?
Small amounts of Sodium Hydroxide are being added to the water at the treatment plant to raise the water's pH. The chemical formula for Sodium Hydroxide is NaOH. "Na" is the symbol for Sodium. When NaOH dissolves in water, it separates into Sodium ions (Na+) and Hydroxyl ions (OH-). These Hydroxyl ions increase the pH of the water.

Has the Sodium content of London's water increased?
London's water has a very low Sodium content; approximately 4 mg of Sodium per litre of water. The Sodium Hydroxide that is being added to the water increases the Sodium content to approximately 11 mg/L. The Ontario Ministry of the Environment recommends that municipalities provide drinking water with a Sodium level below 200 mg/L. Human beings require Sodium in their diets and Health Canada advises that 1,200 to 1,500 mg of Sodium is an adequate daily intake.

Is it unnatural to have a pH of 8.0 or higher in drinking water?
No, many water systems in Ontario and elsewhere deliver water with a pH of 8.0 or higher. The Ontario Ministry of the Environment recommends that municipalities provide drinking with a pH between 6.5 and 8.5. The water that the Grand Bend treatment plant draws from Lake Huron has a pH of 8.2. The treatment processes used to ensure that the water is safe to drink cause the pH to decrease to approximately 7.1. Raising the pH before the water leaves the treatment plant will restore the water to the natural pH level of the lake water.

How does the City determine if the pH changes are reducing lead levels?
A representative set of London households are being used to closely monitor lead levels. This "Sentinel Lead Testing Program" is being carried out in homes distributed throughout the areas where lead services exist. Because the City of London started testing for lead at the taps of its customers, the province of Ontario enacted regulations requiring all Ontario municipalities to test from a representative number of homes and businesses twice per year. London is also using the results of this new Community Lead Testing program to monitor lead levels and evaluate the effectiveness of our pH adjustment strategy.

Is this a problem that is affecting London in particular?
No. Virtually all municipalities in North America have used lead for service pipes to homes constructed before the 1950s.

What is the Province doing about lead in drinking water?
When the City of London began offering free lead testing of tap water for its customers in 2006, Ontario regulations only required that municipalities test for lead in samples taken directly from water distribution systems; a method which does not detect the lead contributed by lead service pipes. Because London discovered that lead service pipes were contributing significant amounts of lead to drinking water, the Provincial government changed the regulations regarding lead testing for all municipalities. Starting in the fall of 2007, all Ontario municipalities commenced a program of testing water taken directly from customers' taps. If significantly elevated lead levels are discovered, then municipalities will be mandated to implement a "Corrosion Control Plan" to reduce lead levels; as London has done with our pH adjustment strategy.

Can I have my water tested for lead?
The City will test water in homes located in areas suspected to have lead service pipes. This service is paid for by the City. To find out if your home has lead service pipe and to request a water sample test, email (include your name, phone number and address) or call Water Quality Customer Service at 519-661-4739 during business hours.

Can I have my lead service pipe replaced?
Some homeowners may be interested in replacing their lead service pipe. Water services run across both private property and public property. The City of London will replace the portion of the water service on public property at our expense, provided that the property owner first replaces the private portion of the service (as outlined in the City of London Water By-law). The homeowners contractor is required to coordinate work with the City in order to complete the lead service pipe replacement as efficiently as possible and with minimal interruption in service. Work that is not properly coordinated will result in potentially lengthy delays in the completion of the service stub replacement. For more information regarding lead service pipe replacement please consult the City's Lead Service Extension Replacement Loan Program web page.).

Where can I get more information about lead?
For more information, please contact Water Quality Customer Service at 519-661-4739. Other information is available online at the Health Canada website:
Some Commonly Asked Questions About Lead and Human Health
Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality

The Middlesex-London Health Unit website:
Drinking Water

The Ontario Ministry of the Environment website:
Technical Support Document for Ontario Drinking Water Standards, Objectives and Guidelines