Update regarding the September 2023 Lead Water Exceedance

Ontario’s Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks requires schools, private schools and child care centres to conduct regular testing for lead in drinking water.

As previously announced in September 2023, a plumbing fixture at St. Augustine French Immersion Catholic School was sampled and subsequently exceeded the current standard of 10 micrograms per litre.

Corrective Actions
• The fixture was removed from service.
• Algoma Public Health and Ministry of Environment, Conservation, and Parks notified.
• A water filter certified for lead reduction has been installed.
• Resampled the fixture that exceeded the guideline.
• Continued daily flushing of plumbing fixtures.

Outcome
The fixture was re-sampled in December 2023, which resulted in an exceedance for lead on a “standing” sample only.

The subsequent “flushed” sample was at or below the Ontario drinking water quality standard of 10 micrograms per litre.

As a result, this fixture will be placed back in service, and all fixtures for water consumption will continue to be flushed daily.

This notice services as information only. No further corrective action is required.

For more information
For information on Ontario’s strict framework, visit http://www.ontario.ca/page/flushing-and-sampling-lead or call the Ontario Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks at 1-800-565-4923 or 1-855-515-1331.

HSCDSB performs lead water testing on all plumbing fixtures in compliance with Ontario Regulation 243/07, Schools, Private Schools and Child Care Centres, under the Safe Drinking Water Act, 2002.