Five Campbell River schools have tested for higher than recommended levels of lead in their water.
A collection of provincial studies and internal briefings released through a freedom of information request and first published by Global News shows that many children in schools could be exposed to dangerous levels of lead in their drinking water.
Close to 45 percent of public schools across B.C. had at least one test result that was above five parts per billion (ppb) between 2016 and 2019.
In March 2019, Health Canada recommended five parts per billion as the maximum acceptable limit for lead concentration in drinking water.Â
Previously, that limit was 10 ppb.
The findings show that Campbell River’s Discovery Passage Elementary was above the accepted threshold, based on one test where the water exceeded the federal standard of 5 ppb. Its level was 10 ppb tested on March 5, 2017.
Other Campbell River schools above the recommended threshold include:
- Ecole Phoenix had two out of four tests above 5 ppb; Its highest level was 10 ppb tested on March 5, 2017.
- Pinecrest Elementary had seven of 16 tests above 5 ppb; Its highest level was 70 ppb tested on March 5, 2017.
- Carihi Secondary had one of five tests above 5 ppb;Â Its highest level was 20 ppb tested on May 3, 2017; and
- Surge Narrows Schools had one of five tests above 5 ppb. Its highest level was 9 ppb tested on May 3, 2017.
Twenty other local schools tested below the threshold.
