WC128 JanFeb2023 - Magazine - Page 16
DRINKING WATER
Lead Education
The first step for residents was to un”The City offers a $2,500 interest-bearing loan for property
derstand the health risks associated with
owners who would like to replace their lead water line.”
lead and what they can do about it. To
accomplish this, a mailout was sent to
all homes built before 1955, as well as
to those who had a known lead service
line or an unknown service type. As well, the City also inserted
lead awareness pamphlets into all billing statements, launched an
advertising campaign, and created an identification video to help
homeowners determine if they have lead pipes. Residents are also
able to call the City and book a free inspection.
Residential pipe and plumbing replacement
The maintenance, repair, or replacement of the portion of the
water pipe on private property is the responsibility of the homeowner. Hamilton Water is only authorized to repair or replace the
portion of the water service line on City property. In August 2022,
amendments made to Hamilton’s Property Standards By-Law now
obligates Hamilton homeowners to switch out their portion of
lead water service line to match the City’s current standards.
“In order for us to eliminate all of the lead service lines in
Hamilton, we need the remaining homes to have their lead pipes
replaced and so this new by-law will help us achieve this goal in
protecting all our residents,” says Winters.
Lead water service replacement loan
The City offers a $2,500 interest-bearing loan for property owners who would like to replace their lead water line. In addition,
homeowners who have qualified for low-income energy customer
support programs such as LEAP (Low-Income Energy Assistance
Program) or OESP (Ontario Electricity Support Program) are
eligible for a zero-interest loan to cover the cost of the replacement. Although Hamilton Water “can’t cover the costs of upgrading private infrastructure,” says Winters, “We have provided
a loan program to make it more affordable for homeowners.”
Roughly 175–200 loans are issued every year to homeowners to
replace their lead lines.
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WATER C AN ADA • JANUARY/ FEBRUARY 2023
At-the-tap filters
Hamilton also has a program that provides tap filters approved
for lead removal by the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF/
ANSI53). These filters are provided to residents who have a
lead line, and after each private water service line upgrade, to
minimize impacts resulting from mixed plumbing types until the
public portion is replaced (typically four to eight weeks after the
private side is completed due to backlog). When the program first
started in 2017, 221 lead filter kits were handed out; since then
more than 125 additional kits have been provided to residents.
In 2020, the City amended the program to also include a jug and
three filters to homeowners when a lead filter kit is requested.
The results of Hamilton’s Corrosion Control Plan are
promising, and pipe replacement is accelerating. “Initially we
expected it might take up to 30-40 years to find and replace all
the lead lines in the City, but with the public on our side and
over $1.38 million already committed in our loan program, we
have effectively reduced this time frame by 10 years. We also had
to manage the pandemic during this time, so we are optimistic
that reducing this timeframe further is still possible,” concludes
Winters.
Hamilton’s water is tested over 46,000 times a year to ensure
residents can trust that the water coming out of the tap is safe to
drink and that the City is continuing to be proactive to keep it
this way.
For more information on Hamilton’s Lead Awareness Program
visit hamilton.ca/leadpipes.
WAT E R C A N A D A . N E T
Getty Images
Public pipe replacement
For over 30 years, The City of Hamilton has had a Sub-Standard
Water Service Line Replacement Program to address customer
requests related to pressure or other concerns (such as undersized
services or leaks). Over the last decade, as the awareness of health
risks associated with lead has grown, the focus of the program
has shifted from poor pressure to sub-standard/LWSL replacements. In this capacity, the City will replace the substandard
material up to the property line when the homeowner replaces
the privately-owned portion. Since 2017 the City has replaced
almost 4,600 sub-standard service lines, according to October
2022 data.
