THUNDER BAY -- The City of Thunder Bay will host a second Public Information Session on Thursday evening to share the details of its plan to counteract high levels of lead in some residential water pipes.
The plan, scheduled for implementation in early 2018, will see the pH of the city's water supply increased to reduce lead levels at the tap, by adding small amounts of sodium hydroxide at the Bare Point treatment plant.
It's estimated that 7,500 to 8,000 homes in Thunder Bay still have older lead service pipes connecting them to water mains.
When water sits in these pipes, it can accumulate lead and can reach levels above the provincial guideline of 0.01 milligrams per litre.
The city says homes built prior to the mid-1950s are more likely to have lead pipes and service lines, while homes built from the mid 1950s to 1989 may have lead present in some plumbing fixtures or solder.
According to Health Canada, "elevated lead levels can result in neurological effects, increased blood pressure and kidney dysfunction in adults, as well as adverse neurodevelopmental and behavioural effects in children. The strongest association observed to date is between increased lead levels in children and reductions in IQ scores."
The city ran a pilot study in the Current River area over a period of two years ending in January, 2017, and determined that adding sodium hydroxide is safe and effective.
The information session runs from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday at the Oliver Road Recreation Centre.
