THUNDER BAY — Delivery of water pitchers equipped with filters to remove lead will begin this week to Thunder Bay homes with lead service pipes.
The city announced the plan on Jan. 30 after deciding to stop adding sodium hydroxide to the water distribution system.
Ending sodium hydroxide treatment will increase lead levels in water coming out of the tap in homes in older sections of the city.
The chemical was introduced in 2018 to control corrosion and reduce lead levels.
However, a few months ago, the city started to receive increasing reports of pinhole leaks developing in copper pipes in household water systems.
Officials are now reevaluating the city's approach for dealing with high lead levels in the 9,000 homes with lead service pipes.
In the interim, these households will each receive a kit comprised of one 11-cup Ultimate Pitcher Filtration System and six replacement filters.
The kits will be provided at the city's expense.
Deliveries will start this week and continue through the month.
Users are urged to follow the manufacturer's instructions.
"These water filters are certified to reduce lead in tap water and should be used for drinking, cooking and preparing baby formula. It is important to use these filters as lead in drinking water can pose health risks, especially for infants, chiildren under the age of six, and pregnant women," said Michelle Warywoda, director of the city's Environment Division.
In a statement Monday, the city also advised that "All customers should routinely flush their pipes prior to consumption to maintain water quality at the tap. This can be accomplished by taking a shower, flushing the toilet, doing a load of laundry, or running your cold water tap to clear the pipes."
The city is working with the Ministry of the Environment and the Thunder Bay District Health Unit on implementation of the change to the drinking water system.
Warywoda said last week that Thunder Bay is the first Ontario municipality to report a possible issue with sodium hydroxide causing pinhole leaks.
"This is kind of new for us in Canada," she said, but added that she understood similar problems have occurrred in some American cities.
