Get the poison out of the pipes
Published Saturday March 28th, 2009
The biggest shovel-ready infrastructure project in Saint John has received little political fanfare, though it's causing residents anxiety. We're referring to the need for lead-free, clean drinking water.
Solving Saint John's water woes will require a comprehensive solution, stretching all the way from the city's water treatment plants to homeowners' fixtures and faucets.
The city boasts an abundant supply of fresh water, but it has three strikes against it when it comes to water infrastructure. Much of the city is built on bedrock. It includes the nation's oldest housing stock. And, for decades, municipal officials have put off strategic investments.
The municipality is working on a plan to improve water treatment and distribution. It also needs to strike a partnership with the provincial and federal governments to alleviate the risks posed by lesser infrastructure.
The recently detected lead contamination seems to be a product of leaded brass fixtures. Officials have found contamination at fire hydrants in four locations. Testing at nearby homes revealed levels of lead ranging from relatively safe to almost three times the recommended limit. The likely cause? Leaded pipes.
Replacing hydrant fixtures is the city's responsibility, but there's a case to be made for helping homeowners replace dangerously out-of-date plumbing. The city could do so with help from other levels of government.
Through Efficiency New Brunswick, the province pays homeowners rebates on repairs that increase home energy efficiency. A similar program is needed at the municipal level to encourage the replacement of dangerous pipes and fixtures.
In the early 1990s, city crews removed lead and brass water components and asked homeowners to do the same. It's an open question how many complied. Incentives are needed to ensure this public health issue is resolved.
Let's face it: pumping cleaner water into city mains won't matter much if smaller pipes and fixtures continue to leach poison.
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In the late 90's, I was surprised to discover from a health care professional that Saint John had one of the highest mental illness ratios in North America. Could there be a correlation?
Either way, I'll continue buying 'spring water' to drink and cook with. I'll use tax purchased municipal water for washing and doing laundry only until I'm persuaded to do otherwise.