Testing your water is the best way to find out if there’s lead in it.

Older homes — those built more than 40 years ago — are at greater risk because they are more likely to have lead plumbing.

In Edmonton, you can find your home’s year of construction by going to the city’s online property assessment map and entering your address. In Calgary, you can find your home’s year of construction by going online to the myProperty portal on the city’s website and searching your home address.

Lead was used as a material for water pipes until 1975 and in solder used to join pipes until 1986. Until 2014, faucets and hardware could contain up to eight per cent lead. Note that galvanized steel pipes can also leach lead into drinking water.

In Edmonton, EPCOR estimates that eight to nine per cent of homes without lead service lines (LSLs) have lead levels higher than the maximum acceptable concentration set out by Health Canada.

How do I check the pipes inside my home to see if they are made of lead?

You can look at the pipes and solder joining pipes anywhere they are visible in your home. Lead is grey in colour, will generally not attract a magnet and can be easily scratched with a knife or key. The scratches will appear silvery rather than coppery. You can also ask a plumber or home inspector to check for you.

What about the service line? Is it possible for me to check on whether it’s made of lead?

EPCOR keeps records of LSLs on the public side and sends letters annually to residents with them. They also have a lead management program representative you can call to confirm whether you have an LSL.

For more information, contact EPCOR’s lead management program at 780-412-6858 or by email at [email protected].

EPCOR does not keep records of known LSLs on private property, and homeowners are responsible for the section of service line on their property. To check your service line, look for the pipe entering your home in your basement, garage or crawl space. If you have a water meter, check the pipe feeding into the meter from the ground. You can do a visual inspection for lead, as described above.

The City of Calgary keeps records of its known LSLs on the public side and is responsible for replacing them. As of 2018, city records showed there were 551 LSLs, mostly located in the inner city. The city mails letters annually to addresses with known or suspected LSLs.

For more information, contact the city’s 311 operator or the water services department online at Calgary.ca.

The city does not keep records of known LSLs on private property, and homeowners are responsible for the section of service line on their property. To check your service line, look for the pipe entering your home in your basement, garage or crawl space. If you have a water meter, check the pipe feeding into the meter from the ground. You can do a visual inspection for lead, as described above.

You can also ask a plumber or home inspector to check for you. 

How do I get my drinking water tested for lead?

EPCOR provides Edmonton residents with free lead tests.

Private accredited laboratories will test household drinking water for lead for a fee that is typically between $35 and $75. A list of accredited labs can be found on the Canadian Association for Laboratory Accreditation (CALA) website.

To measure the maximum amount of lead your family may be exposed to, sample the water after a minimum six-hour stagnation period, during which no faucets or showers in the building have been used or toilets flushed — usually first thing in the morning or after returning from work. Lead leaching is highest in July and August when the pipes are warmest.

In a year-long investigation by nine universities and 10 media organizations, including Global News and Concordia University’s Institute for Investigative Journalism, we followed a three-sample method. After a six-hour stagnation, the kitchen tap was turned on at high pressure and the first sample collected immediately. The second sample was collected after the water had run for 45 seconds, and the third sample was collected after the water had run for two minutes.

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