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Investigation finds little action on tackling lead problem in Brandon's drinking water.  
 
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/investigation-finds-inaction-on-persistent-lead-problem-1.3567038

but ever since I read Dr. Paton's letter to the editor about this issue I try to not drink from the tap any more (It's so easy to grab a glass from the tap). Ugh, makes me wonder about using tap water for cooking too.

Brandon also offers a program through which it will provide financial assistance to property owners to replace lead service lines: however, the city said few residents have taken advantage of the program.  
 
 
That is a ridiculous statement. They will NOT provide financial assistance. What they will do is cover 1/2 of the portion on CITY property. Leaving the property owner on the hook for the rest. In our case, I have quotes of between $12,000 and 15,000 - only about $3000 of that would be covered by the city. And those totals do not i:nclude any repairs to the landscaping that would happen as a result.  
 
They will not help you with financing of your portion of the project either. You as a home owner are on the hook up front for the project - the first guy I spoke to said you had to pay the entire amount up front and the city would reimburse you their portion.  
 
NO KIDDING few residents have taken advantage of it.  
 
There are reasons I live where I do - it's not like I have and extra 10 grand sitting around. And water filters are not cheap either. It would have been great to understand all the perils of buying an older home when we bought ours.  
 
If governments really wanted to help, they would make people selling homes ensure the safety of the water system, ensure there is no asbestos in the roof, no radon in the basement. These are things that most inspectors will not catch.  
 
Maybe people would flip houses less if they were made to ensure basic safety issues were met.

this is scary. i feel like i follow the news pretty closely and i truly don't remember hearing anything about this in the past. i'm worried about the potential impact on my young kids....if i'd known i would have been buying water all this time.

jillh said "this is scary. i feel like i follow the news pretty closely and i truly don't remember hearing anything about this in the past. i'm worried about the potential impact on my young kids....if i'd known i would have been buying water all this time. "

The effects of lead is worse on small children. It causes brain development delays and more. Bathing in it is no issue, it is just ingestion from what I understand - but then you start to think about using it to brush teeth and cook with. Try not to drive yourself crazy with that knowledge, but be aware.  
 
It was over a year ago we had our water tested. I know we had to go to City hall and get a test bottle and I am sure we had to pay something like $20 and you get the results some time after that.  
 
Whether the city still has those bottles I do not know, but at the time there was quite the rush on them.

What about the water fountains at the school?

Why would owners of older homes not installed a ro filter system. They are available for a reasonable cost from aquasafecanada.

so is this based on older homes with higher lead levels?  
or is it all of Brandon, regardless whether it is old or a newly built home?

AG12 said "so is this based on older homes with higher lead levels?   or is it all of Brandon, regardless whether it is old or a newly built home? "

Check the link that Brenda posted. It shows the areas in question.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/brandon-mayor-says-awareness-over-water-woes-needs-work-1.3569066

Brenda said "http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/brandon-mayor-says-awareness-over-water-woes-needs-work-1.3569066 "

How do Brandon residents get their water tested?  
 
Is this even a priority for city hall or only when it's in the news?  
 
Poor and minimal communication.

Hackeda said "    Brenda said "http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/brandon-mayor-says-awareness-over-water-woes-needs-work-1.3569066 " How do Brandon residents get their water tested?     Is this even a priority for city hall or only when it's in the news?     Poor and minimal communication. "

If you actually read his quotes, it is typical "politician speak".  
 
[i]"I would say that we have been working on this. Our new council is extremely interested in this issue," said Chrest.[/i]  
 
Does not say what they have been doing, only that they are showing interest in the issue.  
 
[i] "We know that as they're working through some new services and mitigation measures that the communication has to be enhanced," the mayor said.[/i]  
 
Again, does not say anything is being done, just that it has to be....  
 
And this is the funniest example -  
 
[i]"We view it as one of the highest responsibilities that we have and I know that our council won't have any hesitation in making sure we provide a commitment to getting this issue resolved as expeditiously as possible," he said.[/i]  
 
 
This is not making any real commitment to do ANYTHING - what it says is it is up on the list to think about doing something and making a commitment to thinking about the issue.(Probably because it has been brought up in the media again)  
 
Those are some of the worst examples of political jargon I have seen in a long time. Obviously text book answers - promise that you are looking in to it, but never take any responsibility or say anything to let people be mad that you are NOT doing anything.

Water testing and lead pipe issues were exposed with the last Mayor, Shari Decter Hirst.  
Citizens had to pay for their own test kits. It was only $20 but why pay for a water test when you have faith that your City water is safe?  
 
 
I wasn't about to pay to test my own City Water. I'm glad this has come up again.  
 
Here is the City of Brandon link.  
 
http://brandon.ca/water-treatment/lead-water-services-information  
 
Patrick Pulak, head of engineering for the City has said there is no concern?  
 
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/investigation-finds-inaction-on-persistent-lead-problem-1.3567038

Kellye said "Water testing and lead pipe issues were exposed with the last Mayor, Shari Decter Hirst.   Citizens had to pay for their own test kits. It was only $20 but why pay for a water test when you have faith that your City water is safe?       I wasn't about to pay to test my own City Water. I'm glad this has come up again.     Here is the City of Brandon link.     http://brandon.ca/water-treatment/lead-water-services-information     Patrick Pulak, head of engineering for the City has said there is no concern?     http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/investigation-finds-inaction-on-persistent-lead-problem-1.3567038 "

Being told our lead levels were of no concern & that running the water would help.  
 
I'm not paying to have my city-supplied water tested. I naively believed what I was being told.  
 
The Brandon mayor and city council should get on this PDQ this time or as dad use to say, "Get the lead out!"

foxtrot11 said "    Hackeda said "    Brenda said "http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/brandon-mayor-says-awareness-over-water-woes-needs-work-1.3569066 " How do Brandon residents get their water tested?     Is this even a priority for city hall or only when it's in the news?     Poor and minimal communication. " If you actually read his quotes, it is typical "politician speak".     [i]"I would say that we have been working on this. Our new council is extremely interested in this issue," said Chrest.[/i]     Does not say what they have been doing, only that they are showing interest in the issue.     [i] "We know that as they're working through some new services and mitigation measures that the communication has to be enhanced," the mayor said.[/i]     Again, does not say anything is being done, just that it has to be....     And this is the funniest example -     [i]"We view it as one of the highest responsibilities that we have and I know that our council won't have any hesitation in making sure we provide a commitment to getting this issue resolved as expeditiously as possible," he said.[/i]       This is not making any real commitment to do ANYTHING - what it says is it is up on the list to think about doing something and making a commitment to thinking about the issue.(Probably because it has been brought up in the media again)     Those are some of the worst examples of political jargon I have seen in a long time. Obviously text book answers - promise that you are looking in to it, but never take any responsibility or say anything to let people be mad that you are NOT doing anything. "

No real commitment while sounding like they're taking responsibility for it. Shame.

We had the water tested a few months back And the lead levers came back at just under 3x the acceptable level. I would change our lines if the city would help. We will just move to a newer house And sell in a year or so.

We would like to run a new line in just from our curb stop to the house because we know the 100 yr old main waterline on our street will have to be addressed at some point by the city. We have had quotes from 18000 to 29000. A little more expensive than others because city wants our curb stop moved. It seems a huge burden to bare.

Why does the City feel it's remotely justified in expecting property owners to pay 50% of the City side of the line and the old hook up replacement? The City owns them, the city has been paid taxes for decades supposedly partly for maintenance of City infrastructure. If there is a 100 year old main that runs by my house it is the City's financial responsibility to maintain the physical structure of the system and replace aging infrastructure. Not the home owner's. How the City even dares to try and foist that off on the property owner to pay for something that they can't and won't ever actually own is beyond me.  
 
Lead is more easily concentrated in water when heated so if you have any concerns that way it is always better to use filtered water for all drinking and cooking.

CorvidDreamer said "Why does the City feel it's remotely justified in expecting property owners to pay 50% of the City side of the line and the old hook up replacement? The City owns them, the city has been paid taxes for decades supposedly partly for maintenance of City infrastructure. If there is a 100 year old main that runs by my house it is the City's financial responsibility to maintain the physical structure of the system and replace aging infrastructure. Not the home owner's. How the City even dares to try and foist that off on the property owner to pay for something that they can't and won't ever actually own is beyond me.     Lead is more easily concentrated in water when heated so if you have any concerns that way it is always better to use filtered water for all drinking and cooking. "

And as Madge said, the city seems to be taking advantage even more as they are using this as an excuse to fancy up or update curbs to their new design.  
 
What I find suspicious though - as I have been watching all these condos replacing single family houses and the contractors are made to run new lines - has any one else noticed the horrendous job these guys are getting away with in the finishing of the street? There are dips in the the road practically everywhere one of these new condos has gone in. Seems the only time city inspectors are scrutinizing completed work is int he case of private homeowners.