Lead Services

Prince Albert’s water supply from the North Saskatchewan River and the water in the City’s water mains is safe. Health Canada has set a limit for lead in drinking water as 0.010 mg/L. The lead level in Prince Albert’s drinking water when it enters the distribution system is less than 0.00005 mg/L or 199 times lower than the Heath Canada limit.

Lead and Your Drinking Water Brochure Health Canada Website

Lead and Prince Albert’s Water

The water the City treats and sends out to your home is safe to drink but there are some plumbing and service connection types that may introduce lead into your water supply.

Approximately 750 properties in Prince Albert still have lead water service connections (most built before 1950). Some may experience lead leaching from the pipes into the drinking water or if the household plumbing system contains lead (including solder and brass fittings). Small amounts of lead can dissolve into drinking water when it sits in household plumbing. Boiling water does not remove lead. Please see the brochure above to learn more about the sources of lead in your drinking water.

Replacing Lead Service Lines

Property owners are responsible for the portion of the water service connection located on their property. Should a property owner decide to replace their portion of the service connection, it would occur independently and be conducted by a contractor hired by the property owner.

The City replaces the public portion of 5-10 lead service lines each year. The City is responsible for the portion of the connection located on City property and replaces this portion if:

1. Water mains are being replaced in the area.

The City of Prince Albert completes annual water main replacements on a prioritized basis. As sections of water mains with lead services are replaced, the City replaces each lead service connection up to the property line

2. Annual water testing identifies properties that are above the approved limits

Each year the City samples residences that are listed as having City owned lead services. The residences chosen for sampling are located across the City, have a record of a lead service connection and are selected based on a process developed in consultation with the Water Security Agency. Properties with test results that exceed Health Canada Guidelines are flagged for replacement and provided with a filter along with information on lead.

3. Owners of a property with lead services choose to replace their side.

Property owners who wish to replace their private portion of the lead service may apply to the City to have the City owned portion of the service replaced. Interested property owners will be required to supply a confirmation that their service connection is made of lead (can be obtained from a certified plumber) and complete an application to the City. The City will review its records and determine if the application is suitable for an Owner Initiated Replacement. After the replacement of the private portion is confirmed, the City will schedule for the replacement of the City owned portion either in the current year or in the subsequent year, depending on the time of year approved and number of approved applicants. Interested property owners can contact the Public Works department for assistance on the application process.

Can the City do the work on the homeowners side?

No the City does not do the homeowners side of the curb stop.

Which contractors can do the work?

Any plumber can change the lead water services but typically one of the local excavating contractors are hired to expedite the process.

In all cases, before the work to replace the City owned portion replaced, the City will notify affected residences to explain the work to be completed and to outline a post replacement process to reduce risks.

Lead Services Frequently Asked Questions

If my water service pipes or plumbing contains lead, is my health at risk?

Excess quantities of lead may impact human health. Please see the Government of Canada website for more information. You can contact the Prince Albert Parkland Health Region at 306-765-6600 for more information on the health risks of ingesting lead. You can also go to the National Sanitation Foundation website at www.nsf.org. Search “LEAD”. This site will provide information on certified filtration devices.

How do I know if I have lead service lines?

There are three possible scenarios where lead service lines may exist.

The entire service line is made of lead from the water main to the interior plumbing.
Only the portion of the service line from the external shut-off valve or property line to the interior plumbing is made of lead
Only the portion of the service line from the water main to the external shut-off valve or property line is made of lead.

The City has a record of the properties with lead service connections on the publicly owned side. A licensed plumber can determine if a home has a lead service connection and whether the home contains lead solder, lead pipes or lead pipe fittings. You can also identify private lead service connections by following these steps from the City of Regina.

How do I know if I have lead in my drinking water?

You can't see, smell or taste lead in water. The only effective way to measure lead levels in drinking water at home is testing the water at the tap. You can arrange for testing by a private, accredited, licensed laboratory in Saskatoon or Regina.Costs will vary.

ALS Global
(306) 668-8370

Saskatchewan Research Council
1-800-240-8808

Roy Romanow Provincial Laboratory
1-306-787-7138

The City of Prince Albert also conducts annual water testing in locations with known lead connections as part of its Permit to Operate through the Water Security Agency. If your property is identified as having a lead service connection and you would like to be added to the next period of testing, please contact Public Works at (306) 953-4900.

If I have lead piping, what can I do about it?

If replacing the lead portion of your service line is not an option, the following actions can be taken to protect yourself from lead.

Use only the cold water tap for drinking and cooking
Flush the water lines prior to using the water for drinking and cooking
Flush the water system by running the cold water tap for about five minutes if the drinking water has been sitting in the lines for six hours or more.
Keep a container of drinking water in your refrigerator so you don’t have to run water every time you want a drink.
Flushing toilets, doing laundry, running showers and other water use activities will flush standing water, but you should still run the drinking water tap for one minute. This water does not have to be wasted – it is safe to use for cleaning or watering plants.
Do not boil water to remove lead. Boiling water will not reduce lead.
Install a certified water filter and properly maintain it
Approved filters for lead removal can be used to reduce lead when they are used as per the manufacture’s recommendations.
You should make sure it is certified to National Sanitation Foundation/American National Standards Institute 53 (NSF/ANSI-53) for lead removal
Remember to replace filters as needed and keep it clean and running properly.
Other options include installing a filter attached to a drinking water tap or a certified-filter water pitcher. The filter should be certified to NSF Standard 53 for removing lead. Visit the NSF website for more information.
Remove and clean your tap screen. Clean the tap by unscrewing the aeration screen and flushing the debris from it and other internal parts.
Upgrade your plumbing. A common source of lead in water comes from lead soldering in household plumbing fixtures. When water sits in pipes with these joints, small amounts of lead can dissolve into the water. Since the early 1990s, lead soldering has been banned. You can have your plumbing inspected for lead soldering and may wish to have any lead soldering joints replaced.

What kind of filter do I need?

There are several filters available that conform to the National Sanitation Foundation’s Standard 53 for lead reduction.

a pitcher style
a pour-through container that is left in the fridge
an attachment that is screwed on to the tap
an on-counter unit that typically is plumbed to the tap
a below counter system that usually requires the installation of a separate drinking water tap

How much are filters?

The price of filters vary based on type and features. The simplest and smallest pitcher-type system may cost anywhere from $20 to $100, while a complicated and extensive below counter system may cost in the range of $1,000.

Where can I get a filter?

Most home stores and super centres have some type of filter system available that conforms to the National Sanitation Foundation’s Standard 53 for lead reduction. This includes Walmart, Canadian Tire and others. Local water stores may have other devices. An extensive inventory is available online.

Ask store employees for further information.