The Office of Drinking Water began phasing in lead testing requirements in 2019, beginning with Manitoba’s largest and oldest water systems with known or suspected lead service lines for residential properties. Water systems selected to implement the Residential Lead Monitoring Program will receive notification from the Office of Drinking Water, directing owners/operators to begin testing as per the instructions outlined in the Operational Guideline on Residential Lead Monitoring Program. The Town of Beausejour was notified in November 2024 that Residential Lead Monitoring would be required for the 2025 reporting year.
Lead is not natural to Manitoba source waters. It is introduced into drinking water through corrosion of lead-bearing materials in service lines to homes and buildings, and in plumbing systems and fixtures. The only way to detect if a home or building has lead in its drinking water is to test at the taps. The Beausejour Public Water System does not contain any lead service lines however lead-containing plumbing components and fixtures were common until the 1990s.
Lead exposure can affect the health of everyone, but fetuses, infants, and young children are the most sensitive to lead exposure. The Canadian Drinking Water Guidelines state that lead concentration in drinking water should not exceed 0.005 mg/L and recommends that childcare providers and schools test their drinking water for lead.
If you are interested in participating the Residential Lead Monitoring Program, please contact the Town of Beausejour for more information. Participants will be selected on a first come first serve basis. For more information on the Residential Lead Monitoring Program, please visit https://www.gov.mb.ca/sd/water/drinking-water/lead/index.html