Lead (Pb) Awareness
MECP Director Approved 0.3 CEU, 3 hour course
Lead can be present in tap water as a result of dissolution from natural sources or from plumbing systems containing lead in pipes, solder, plumbing fixtures or service connections to buildings.
Children up to six years of age and pregnant women are the most vulnerable to high lead levels.
In 2007, the Province of Ontario passed legislation that requires mandatory testing for lead that far exceeds any previous lead testing in the province to date (O. Reg. 170/03, schedules 15.1 and 15.2)
At the conclusion of this course students will have a deeper understanding of lead issues in our drinking water systems today.
Topics covered during this course include:
– understanding that water is not the only source of lead in our environment.
– distribution systems and plumbing installed before the mid 1950’s are most likely to contain lead.
– the amount of lead from the plumbing system that may be dissolved depends upon several factors, including the acidity (pH), water softness and standing time of the water.
– drinking water sampling methods.
– who is allowed to take regulatory drinking water lead samples.
– Understanding options to reduce or eliminate lead problems.