Unsafe Levels Of Lead In Water In Five Toronto Schools

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Main Category: Water - Air Quality / Agriculture
Also Included In: Pediatrics / Children's Health;  Public Health
Article Date: 13 Oct 2007 - 12:00 PDT

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Five Toronto schools are reported to have unsafe levels of lead in their water supply. The Toronto District School Board (TDSB) is currently providing schoolchildren and staff at those five schools with bottled water.

The TDSB says that the distribution of bottled water is a precautionary measure to protect the health of students and staff while the water is being re-tested.

Authorities are still uncertain where the lead is coming from or what the ultimate resolution might be.

According to local Canadian media, the affected schools are:

-- Blythewood Junior
-- H.A. Halbert Junior
-- Bliss Carman Senior
-- Charles Gordon Senior
-- Victoria Park Collegiate (lead in water at 4 times the legal limit)

According to the Environment Ministry, lead levels in drinking water should not be higher than 10 micrograms. The Ministry says that pregnant women and children are especially vulnerable to excess levels of lead. However, the 10 micrograms limit is a very safe one, and even a slight excess would not normally pose a serious threat to human health.

The Ministry of the Environment has required all TDSB schools where plumbing was installed before 1990 to flush out their water supplies on a daily basis - this requirement came into force in June, 2007.

What is Lead Poisoning?

Lead poisoning is also known as saturnism, plumbism or painter's colic - it is a medical condition caused by raised blood lead levels. Excessive levels of lead in the blood can cause irreversible neurological damage as well as kidney disease, cardiovascular problems and reproductive toxicity.

The average human has less than 10 micrograms per deciliter or 100 parts per billion (ppb) of lead in his/her blood. Most clinical symptoms of lead poisoning start at about 130 ppb. However, lower levels can affect children's mental/cognitive abilities. Humans today generally have higher blood lead levels than in ancient times.

Symptoms of Lead Poisoning

Chronic Lead Poisoning
-- reduced cognitive abilities
-- nausea
-- abdominal pain
-- irritability
-- insomnia
-- metal taste in the mouth
-- lethargy (and sometimes hyperactivity)
-- headache
-- bluish line along the gums (Burton's line) - less common in children

Acute Lead Poisoning (all of the above plus the ones below)
constipation
poor appetite
weight loss

In very extreme cases the person can have seizures or go into a coma.

Toronto District School Board

Written by: Christian Nordqvist
Copyright: Medical News Today
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