HKPR - Healthy Environments

Wednesday, September 08, 2010 - 5:32:15 AM

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Keeping Your Cool

As hot, hazy and humid conditions persist in the region, the Health Unit urges people to take precautions in the extreme temperatures.

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Lets Target Lyme!

With casese of Lyme disease on the rise in parts of southern Ontario, it's time to "Get Tick Smart!"

Enjoy Summer Safely

Make the most of your summer vacation, but remember that being safe does not take a holiday -- no matter what time of year.

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Child Car Seats: It's Time For a Change

If your child's car seat is out-of-date, then it needs to be replaced. In Haliburton County, discounts are available on the purchase of new select car seats at local retailers.

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Beach Testing

Planning to visit a local beach this summer? Find out whether it is safe to swim at beaches in Northumberland County, Haliburton County and the City of Kawartha Lakes.

White Nose Syndrome in Bats

With White Nose Syndrome being detected in bats in Ontario, you are asked to take precautions when coming in contact with bats.

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Simply Safer is Simply Smarter

Considering home renovations? A free Simply Safer is Simply Smarter Kit can help you build safey features into your plans for a home safe home.

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Taste that Hits Home

With the warmer wether here, there is no place like home for enjoying fresh food grown and produced in your own community.

How Well is Your Well Water?

Free well water testing is available for local residents. Let the local Health Unit help you ensure your drinking water is safe.

Convictions

Through its inspection work, the Health Unit has obtained convictions against establishments that contravene various pieces of health legislation.

Lead in Drinking Water

tap Lead is a heavy, soft bluish-grey metal that can be found everywhere in the environment. It has also been used extensively in industry during the last 100 years.

According to Health Canada, high levels of lead, or lead that enters the body over time, can be hazardous to human health.

Long-term lead exposure at elevated levels can pose the greatest health risk to pregnant women and children under six years of age. Younger children tend to absorb lead more easily than adults and are more at risk of its harmful effects. For infants, low-level exposure to lead can harm their intellectual development, behaviour, size and hearing. During pregnancy, especially in the last three months, lead can enter the placenta and affect the unborn child.

The issue of lead in drinking water has recently surfaced in Ontario. It stems from the fact that many Ontario communities have a large number of homes built prior to 1952. Back then, lead was used widely in the plumbing systems of homes. This means that lead may enter the drinking water of some older homes as a result of leaching from lead service connections, lead pipes and solder in the plumbing system.

The provincial standard for lead in drinking water is 10 parts per billion (10 micrograms per litre). Testing of some older homes in Ontario with lead service pipes has found some have lead levels in their drinking water above the provincial standards.

In June 2007, the Ontario government released an Action Plan to address concerns about lead in drinking water.

The Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit encourages homeowners in Haliburton County, Northumberland County or the City of Kawartha Lakes who have concerns about lead levels in their drinking water to:

Call your local municipality and ask if your home is within an area that may have lead service lines.
Inquire about having your water tested for lead levels through the municipality or getting it tested yourself through a laboratory that is provincially licensed to perform drinking water testing.

If you suspect or know you have lead lines in you homes, the Health Unit advises to:

Run the water from the drinking water tap if it has been standing for six hours or more. This will "flush" or remove the standing water before you drink or use it for preparing food. You can do this in two ways: (1) Let the water run from the cold drinking water tap at medium flow for five minutes or (2) Take a shower or run a large appliance such as a washing machine or dishwasher, then run the cold water tap at medium flow for an additional two minutes.
Use cold, flushed water for drinking and preparing food. Water from the hot water tap should not be used as it may contain more lead.
Remove aerators from taps on occasion and flushing out any debris that has collected.
For pregnant women and children under six years of age who live in a home with lead pipes, find an alternative source of water. This can include drinking bottled water or using an approved filter attached to the tap that meets the National Sanitation Foundation International Standards. This recommendation is especially important for infants whose formula is prepared by adding tap water to liquid concentrate or powder.