Latest School Water Test Results

NOTE: The results for 17 out of 184 schools in the province on private water supplies can be found at the end of this release. Three members of the Special Water Advisory Group -

• Pat Wall, Department of Environment and Labour; Dr. Robert Strang, Department of Health; and Gerald Muise, Department of Education -- will be available to respond to media enquiries and can be reached by calling the departmental contacts listed at the end of the release.

The province today released the latest results in a series of tests for natural radionuclides in drinking water at all schools on private water supplies.

A total of 184 schools were tested. Preliminary tests show that about 90 per cent (167), meet Canada's safe drinking water guidelines, while only 17 are over.

Dr. Robert Strang, medical officer of health for the Capital Health District, said the drinking water at these schools does not present an immediate health risk.

"It's important to remember that these are preliminary results and that there is no health risk from continuing to drink the water from these sources during the period of the investigation," said Dr. Strang. "There is no immediate health risk to people."

School boards have decided to provide bottled water to all schools that have tested above the guidelines until tests have been completed in 2003.

The Special Water Advisory Group (SWAG), a government committee of health and environment professionals, was formed in the spring to supervise the testing. The 184 schools were tested for three natural radionuclides -- lead-210, total uranium, and radium-226 -- in September and October. According to Health Canada, four tests must be taken over a year to determine the actual level of radionuclides in the water.

Pat Wall, the province's senior radiation health officer and chair of SWAG, explained that radionuclides are naturally occurring and are found everywhere in the environment. They enter water as a result of the natural breakdown of uranium in the soil.

Owners of drilled or dug wells who are concerned should have their water tested for lead-210 and total uranium.

SWAG is the first group of its kind in Canada to conduct such a large scale study of natural radionuclides in drinking water. The team, led by the Department of Environment and Labour, includes representatives from the provincial departments of Health, Education, Natural Resources, Transportation and Public Works, and Agriculture and Fisheries, along with an expert from Health Canada. The group has been meeting regularly since June to analyze the test results and to oversee research into treatment options.

More information on the testing can be obtained by calling the nearest Department of Environment and Labour office toll-free, at 1-877-9ENVIRO (1-877-936-8476), or on the department's Web site, at www.gov.ns.ca/enla .

Results for 17 out of 184 schools in the province on private water supplies whose drinking water exceeded the Canadian Drinking Water Guidelines (0.10 Bequerels/litre for lead-210 and 20 micrograms/litre for total uranium).

Fall test results:<br x='1'/>
Lead-210 Total Uranium

Atlantic Memorial Elementary 0.43 - Big Tancook Elementary 0.18 - Brookside Junior High 0.21 -

• Cabot High School ** ** East St. Margaret's Elementary 0.49 23 École acadienne de Pomquet 0.18 - Harrietsfield Elementary 0.28 87 Herring Cove Junior High 0.19 -
• New Ross Consolidated 0.13 - Prospect Road Elementary 0.45 -
• River John Consolidated 0.16 - Sir John A. Macdonald High 0.18 -
• Springfield Consolidated 0.12 - Tantallon Junior High 0.49 - Terence Bay Elementary 0.65 -
• Uniacke District Height 0.12 - William King Elementary 0.38 -

• New schools testing positive for radionuclides in latest round of tests (September-October).
• * Combined radioactive levels of lead-210 and total uranium exceeds guidelines.