The Truth Behind Your Tap: Lead in Drinking Water

Doing Well by Doing Good

CANADA'S CRUMBLING URBAN WATER INFRASTRUCTURE * Most Canadians unaware urban water infrastructure is crumbling: survey [https://globalnews.ca/news/409215/most-canadians-unaware-urban-water-infrastructure-is-crumbling-survey/] * RBC Canadian Water Attitudes Study (2013) [http://www.rbc.com/community-sustainability/_assets-custom/pdf/CWAS-2013-report.pdf] CANADIAN WATER NETWORK * Canadian Water Network website [https://cwn-rce.ca/] * COVID-19 Wastewater Coalition [https://cwn-rce.ca/covid-19-wastewater-coalition/] AQUAHACKING * Aquahacking website [https://aquahacking.com/]

Fuites d'eau: Une réalité coûteuse / Costly Cracks

Le Problème * Ce que deux décennies de données nous apprennent sur les conduites d'eau en ruine de Montréal [https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/montreal-water-mains-infrastructure-1.4517540] * Les fuites d'eau de la ville gaspillent des millions de dollars de taxes [https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/city-water-leaks-wasting-millions-of-tax-dollars-1.1048035] * Alors que l'infrastructure s'effondre, des milliers de milliards de gallons sont perdus [https://www.npr.org/2014/10/29/359875321/as-infrastructure-crumbles-trillions-of-gallons-of-water-lost] * L'Angleterre pourrait faire face à la sécheresse dans 20 ans en raison de la dégradation du climat [https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/mar/25/parts-of-england-could-run-out-of-water-unless-urgent-action-taken-report] The Problem * What 2 decades of data tells us about Montreal's crumbling water mains [https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/montreal-water-mains-infrastructure-1.4517540] * City water leaks wasting millions of tax dollars [https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/city-water-leaks-wasting-millions-of-tax-dollars-1.1048035] * As Infrastructure Crumbles, Trillions of Gallons Lost [https://www.npr.org/2014/10/29/359875321/as-infrastructure-crumbles-trillions-of-gallons-of-water-lost] * England could face drought in 20 years due to climate breakdown [https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/mar/25/parts-of-england-could-run-out-of-water-unless-urgent-action-taken-report] Solutions * L'Avenir de l'Eau / The Future of Water (Scott Yates, Steve Maxwell) [https://www.amazon.com/Future-Water-Scott-Yates-ebook/dp/B004Z9A8HM] * Cann Forecast [https://www.cannforecast.com/%5D(https://www.cannforecast.com/]

Suffocating Shellfish

Okanagan Basin Water Board (OBWB) [https://www.obwb.ca/] British Columbia Aquahacking Challenge [https://aquahacking.com/en/bc-2020/] ZEBRA AND QUAGGA MUSSELS OVERVIEW * Don't Move a Mussel - OBWB Resource [https://dontmoveamussel.ca/] * Zebra Mussels Threaten Inland Waters: An Overview [http://www.seagrant.umn.edu/ais/zebramussels_threaten] * Zebra mussels cost Canadians billion each year; cost to Manitobans still unknown [https://globalnews.ca/news/2269026/zebra-mussels-cost-canadians-billions-each-year-cost-to-manitobans-still-unknown/] * Growth progression of Quagga Mussels [https://www.eid.org/recreation/boating/invasive-mussels]

The Source

Canada Water Act [https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/c-11/index.html] Canada Water Agency [https://www2.liberal.ca/our-platform/fresh-water/] Canada Water Agency (Opinion Piece) [https://policyoptions.irpp.org/magazines/april-2020/a-canada-water-agency-is-the-first-step-to-modernizing-water-management/] Israel and water tax [https://www.haaretz.com/.premium-how-to-make-people-save-water-drought-tax-1.5271074] CLIMATE CHANGE AND WATER ISSUES * Water and Climate Change [https://www.ucsusa.org/resources/water-and-climate-change] * Ripple marks: Climate change leaves mark on water; impacts the vulnerable more [https://www.downtoearth.org.in/blog/water/ripple-marks-climate-change-leaves-mark-on-water-impacts-the-vulnerable-more-69829] Waterkeepers overview [https://www.ottawariverkeeper.ca/home/who-we-are/our-story/] Aquahacking website [https://aquahacking.com/]

The Truth Behind Your Tap: Lead in Drinking Water

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND RESOURCES: State of Lead in Drinking Water in North America United States * US deaths from lead exposure 10 times higher than thought, study suggests [https://www.cnn.com/2018/03/12/health/lead-exposure-cardiovascular-disease-study/index.html] * Lead in American Water Systems [https://www.cbsnews.com/news/lead-in-americas-water-systems-is-a-national-problem/] Canada * Safe Water Series by Global News [https://globalnews.ca/tag/Safe-water/] * Is Canada's water safe? [https://globalnews.ca/news/6114854/canada-tapwater-high-lead-levels-investigation/] * Is Montreal’s lead problem worse than Flint, Michigan’s? [https://globalnews.ca/news/6113701/montreal-drinking-water-lead-flint-michigan/] Flint Crisis (Michigan, 2014) * Flint Water Crisis Fast Facts [https://www.cnn.com/2016/03/04/us/flint-water-crisis-fast-facts/index.html] Addressing the problem Government efforts * Lead and Copper Rule (US) [https://nepis.epa.gov/Exe/ZyPDF.cgi?Dockey=60001N8P.txt] * Corrosion control * Corrosive water is a key reason behind dangerously high levels of lead. There’s a way to fix it [https://www.nationalobserver.com/2019/11/04/investigations/corrosive-water-key-reason-behind-dangerously-high-levels-lead-theres-way] * Worried about lead in Windsor's drinking water? Enwin says it's not coming from their water supply [https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/windsor/windsor-drinking-water-lead-corrosion-control-1.5352683] * Community and utility efforts to replace lead service lines   [https://www.edf.org/health/recognizing-community-efforts-replace-lsl] What you can do as an individual * Environmental Protection Agency Lab that will test your water (US) * Environmental Working Group Tap Water Database [https://www.ewg.org/tapwater/] (US) * American Water Works Association  [https://www.awwa.org/] * Worried about lead in your drinking water? Here are some steps you can take... [https://www.ctvnews.ca/health/worried-about-lead-in-your-water-here-are-some-steps-you-can-take-1.4670883](Canada)