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1. PROACTIVE
LEAD SERVICE REPLACEMENT PROGRAM PROGRAMME PROACTIF DE REMPLACEMENT DE CONDUITES EN PLOMB |
Committee
recommendationS
That Council approve the
continuance of:
a)
The Proactive Lead Service Replacement program into 2008 with $1
million in funding sourced fron the Water Fund and associated FTEs all of which
are subject to the 2008 Rate Budget;
b)
The program in subsequent years to enable replacement of lead water
services for property owners, giving priority to homes with children 6 years of
age and under and expectant mothers; and
c)
A public information outreach program.
RecommandationS du Comité
Que le Conseil approuve la poursuite :
a)
le programme proactif de remplacement des conduites de plomb se poursuit en 2008 avec un budget de 1
million de dollars financé au moyen des fonds de réserve pour l’eau et des ETP
connexes, qui doivent tous respecter le budget des taux de 2008;
b)
d’un programme pour les années à
venir visant à remplacer les conduites d’eau en plomb pour les propriétaires,
en accordant la priorité aux résidences où habitent des enfants de 6 ans ou
moins et des femmes enceintes;
c)
d’un programme de sensibilisation
visant à renseigner la population.
Documentation
1.
Deputy
City Manager's report Public
Works and Services
dated 11 December 2007 (ACS2008-PWS-WWS-0001).
2. Extract of Draft Minutes, 8 January 2008.
Report to / Rapport au:
Planning and Environment Committee
Comité de l'urbanisme et de
l'environnement
and Council / et au Conseil
11 December 2007 /
11 décembre 2007
Submitted by / Soumis par: R. G. Hewitt,
Deputy City Manager / Directeur municipal adjoint
Public Works and
Services / Services et Travaux publics
Contact Person / Personne
ressource: Dixon Weir, Director / Directeur
Water and Wastewater Services / Services de l’eau potable et des eaux usées
613-580-2424, x22609 Dixon.Weir@ottawa.ca
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City-Wide / À l’échelle de la Ville |
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Ref N°: ACS2008-PWS-WWS-0001 |
SUBJECT: Proactive Lead Service replacement Program
OBJET: programme Proactif de remplacement de conduites en plomb
REPORT RECOMMENDATION
That the Planning and Environment Committee recommend
Council approve the continuance of:
a)
The Proactive Lead Service Replacement program into 2008 with $1
million in funding sourced fron the Water Fund and associated FTEs all of which
are subject to the 2008 Rate Budget;
b)
The program in subsequent years to enable replacement of lead water
services for property owners, giving priority to homes with children 6 years of
age and under and expectant mothers; and
c)
A public information outreach program.
RECOMMANDATION DU RAPPORT
Que le Comité de
l’urbanisme et de l’environnement recommande au Conseil d’approuver la
poursuite :
a)
le programme proactif de remplacement des conduites de plomb se poursuit en 2008 avec un budget de 1
million de dollars financé au moyen des fonds de réserve pour l’eau et des ETP
connexes, qui doivent tous respecter le budget des taux de 2008;
b)
d’un programme pour les années à
venir visant à remplacer les conduites d’eau en plomb pour les propriétaires,
en accordant la priorité aux résidences où habitent des enfants de 6 ans ou
moins et des femmes enceintes;
c)
d’un programme de sensibilisation
visant à renseigner la population.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The City of Ottawa’s lead in drinking water concentration as measured at
customers’ taps, meets or is better than all federal and provincial regulations
and standards on this drinking water quality parameter. An extensive testing program conducted
throughout the summer of 2007 has confirmed that lead levels in Ottawa’s drinking
water meets the Health Canada Drinking Water Guidelines.
New provincial regulations with respect to lead in drinking water were
developed and implemented in 2007. The
new requirements are as follows:
- Drinking
Water Protection Regulation (O. Reg 170/03) affecting lead in drinking water quality
monitoring and public reporting issues; and,
- Financial
Plan Regulation (O. Reg. 453/07) requiring the development of a separate asset management strategy
as it relates to lead services.
The provincial Drinking Water Protection Regulation has been modified to
require a comprehensive water sampling and lead monitoring plan, as well as
associated information such as customer notification. The City will implement those plans in early 2008.
As an element of the comprehensive multi-year
Financial Plan requirement, by July 2010 the City will be required to complete
and submit and make available a specific asset management strategy addressing
lead services.
It is recommended that the City continue its Proactive Lead Pipe
Replacement program to ensure a responsible and responsive action plan for
customers with an elevated concern about lead intake. The program will help customers by eliminating the need for them
to hire and manage a contractor, as well as reduce their financial burden
through the offer of deferred payment options over the tax bill. This program will be an important asset
management element of the City’s future Financial Plan regulatory reporting.
A technical memo outlining the occurrence and health implications of
lead in drinking water in the City of Ottawa is the subject of a separate
report, entitled, “Technical Briefing: Lead in City of Ottawa Drinking Water”,
ACS2008-PWS-WWS-0003.
RÉSUMÉ
La concentration de plomb dans l’eau potable de
la Ville d’Ottawa, mesurée au robinet du client, est égale ou inférieure aux
concentrations permises par les normes et règlements fédéraux et provinciaux
par rapport à ce paramètre de la qualité de l’eau.
Un vaste programme d’analyse mené au cours de
l’été 2007 est venu confirmer que les niveaux de plomb dans l’eau potable
d’Ottawa sont conformes aux Recommandations pour la qualité de l’eau potable de
Santé Canada.
De nouveaux règlements provinciaux concernant
la présence de plomb dans l’eau potable ont été élaborés et mis en œuvre en
2007. Ces règlements sont les
suivants :
- Règlement
sur la protection de l’eau potable (Règlement de l’Ontario 170/03), qui concerne la question des
contrôles de qualité liés à la présence de plomb dans l’eau potable et la
production de rapports à ce sujet;
- Règlement
sur les plans financiers (Règlement de l’Ontario 453/07), qui exige l’élaboration d’une
stratégie distincte de gestion des biens pour ce qui concerne les
conduites d’eau en plomb.
Le règlement provincial sur la protection de l’eau
potable a été modifié de façon à exiger l’élaboration d’un plan exhaustif
d’échantillonnage de l’eau et de contrôle du plomb ainsi que la production de
renseignements connexes, comme des avis à la clientèle. La Ville mettra de tels plans en œuvre au
début de 2008.
Dans le cadre du plan financier
pluriannuel, la Ville devra élaborer, soumettre et divulguer, d’ici au mois de
juillet 2010, une stratégie de gestion des biens visant les conduites d’eau en
plomb.
Il est recommandé que la Ville maintienne son
programme proactif de remplacement des branchements en plomb afin d’assurer un
plan d’action responsable et souple aux clients qui éprouvent de vives
préoccupations au sujet de l’absorption de plomb par leur organisme. Le programme fera en sorte que les clients
n’aient plus à recruter et à gérer un entrepreneur, et leur permettra de
réduire leur fardeau financier, grâce à une offre de paiement différé par le
biais de la facture d’eau. Ce programme
constituera un volet important de la stratégie de gestion des biens requise aux
fins des futurs plans financiers de la Ville.
Une note technique décrivant la fréquence de la
présence de plomb dans l’eau potable à Ottawa et ses répercussions sur la santé
fait l’objet d’un document distinct intitulé Technical Briefing: Lead in City of Ottawa Drinking Water (Note
technique : Présence de plomb dans l’eau potable d’Ottawa),
ACS2008-PWS-WWS-0003.
BACKGROUND
Generally speaking, lead was the primary material of choice for drinking water services connecting individual homes to municipal drinking water systems. Contractors, primarily for reasons of cost and ease of installation, began to install service lines made of copper, through the 1950’s.
It was only in the 1970's when the concern with lead in drinking water became more prominent due to a realization of the risk of lead to unborn and young children, that drinking water guidelines were established by Health Canada.
In 1992, Health Canada established a revised guideline value of 10.0 mg/L for lead in drinking water. The maximum acceptable concentration was calculated based on consumption by infants as they are the most vulnerable population for lead exposure. The guideline value also takes into account other sources of daily lead exposure (dust, soil, food). The guideline statement indicates that daily consumption of drinking water below 10.0 mg/L should be protective of human health and should not cause an increase in blood lead levels or the body burden of lead.
The table below summarizes the maximum allowable concentrations for lead in drinking water for various jurisdictions:
Table 1: Lead in Drinking Water Standards
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Drinking Water Standard |
Lead Concentration Limit (mg/L) |
Comments |
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Ontario
Drinking Water Standard (O.Reg. 169/03) Drinking Water Protection Regulation (O. Reg. 170/03) |
10.0 mg/L |
Based on the Health Canada Guidelines No change Sampling procedure: Treatment Based goal: 90th percentile < 10µg/L. Higher of 2 x 1.0L samples, samples to be taken after thorough system flush and 30 minutes stagnation |
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Health Canada |
10.0 mg/L |
Fully flushed sample measured at tap; based on infant exposure/risk |
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US EPA |
15.0 mg/L* |
*Treatment based goal: 90th percentile <15.0 mg/L for first 1.0 Litre after 6 hrs. stagnation |
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World Health Organization |
10.0 mg/L |
Based on infant exposure/risk |
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European Union |
25.0 mg/L 10.0 mg/L (2013) |
European directive to reduce to 10.0 mg/L |
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Australia |
10.0 mg/L |
Sample monthly, measured at consumer’s tap |
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United Kingdom |
25.0 mg/L 10.0 mg/L (2013) |
European directive to reduce to 10.0 mg/L |
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Germany |
25.0 mg/L |
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As noted above, the current drinking water quality standard of 10.0 mg/L matches the guideline value established by other regulatory agencies including the European Union and World Health Organization.
2007 Lead Service Pilot Program
The City has developed and implemented a number of programs over the course of many years that have had the beneficial result of lowering residents’ exposure to lead in drinking water. In 2006 Council directed staff to develop a Proactive Lead Service Replacement Pilot program which would include:
1. A review of the Water Treatment process at the Britannia and Lemieux Island Water Purification Plants;
2. A public information outreach program; and,
3. A pilot Proactive Lead Service Replacement program to allow residents to request replacement of their lead service from the watermain to the residential water meter.
Staff implemented the requested activities, and the outcomes are:
1. The review of the treatment process indicated that the plants are currently working optimally to reduce lead concentration.
2. The City proceeded with the mail out of a brochure to all homeowners suspected of having a lead service. In total, almost 29,000 brochures were mailed to all houses connected to a watermain built prior to 1956. This included the general area within the boundaries of Walkley Road, St. Laurent Blvd., Sussex Drive, Scott St. and Woodroffe Avenue. Many customers showed their interest in participating in the program. Over 6,000 phone calls were received in relation to the program. As of November, 1,384 customers registered for service replacement. The program is currently over-subscribed. Funding approved in 2007 allows for the replacement of about 150 services.
3. Seventy-five (75) services have been replaced in 2007 and the replacement program will continue into early 2008. Priority has been given to households with young children and pregnant women. Other customers were prioritized on a first-come first-served basis. Many customers dropped out of the program when contacted to proceed with the pipe replacement. The drop out rate is about 50%.
It is important to recognize that the 2007 Proactive Lead Service Replacement program is an enhancement to the current watermain rehabilitation practice of replacing the City portion of the lead services.
It is estimated that between 900 to 1,200 lead services are replaced each year on watermain construction projects. Overall, it is estimated that the City has replaced approximately 13,000 lead services located within the public right-of-way to date.
Lead Services Ownership
The City of Ottawa water distribution system is lead-free, its watermains and appurtenances being made of concrete, iron and PVC materials. The water service pipes that run between the watermain and the water meter are manufactured from either copper or lead. The ownership of the service is related to the ownership of the land. Therefore, the portion of the service that lies on public property belongs to the City and the portion on private property belongs to the homeowner. The following sketch illustrates pipe ownership.
Quantity of Lead Services
Previously, detailed records were not kept of the water service material used at the time of installation. Based on information available at the time of the writing of the 2006 report, and based upon a number of assumptions, staff believed there remained approximately 24,000 lead service lines on public property and 34,000 lead service lines on private property.
In order to ensure that all likely owners of lead services lines were circulated with program information, a more conservative distribution list was created that was based upon an assumption that homes installed along watermains constructed in or before 1956 may have had lead service lines running between the distribution system and the home. As a result, program information was mailed out to approximately 29,000 residents in Ottawa in early May 2007.
The 2007 Proactive Lead Service Replacement project and the numerous requests for water testing enabled City staff to gather important information, previously not available, regarding the composition of material in lead service lines. It is now possible to infer from the information collected that lead service lines were less commonly used in Ottawa after 1947 than previously estimated. The number of houses connected to watermains built in or prior to 1947 is approximately 13,500. It is assumed that 100% of those houses were serviced by lead pipes.
Based
on this new information, a conservative estimate is that 15% of those houses
built between 1947 and 1956 also have lead services. Consequently the number of houses serviced by a lead pipe in
Ottawa is currently estimated at 16,100 for the planning of replacement of
services only.
For communication purposes, all of the 29,000 houses built before 1956 will continue to be included with any targeted communication efforts. Information gathered during the subsequent phases of the project will increase our knowledge and enable staff to determine more precisely the number and locations of lead services.
DISCUSSION
Ottawa’s drinking water meets all federal and provincial guidelines
and standards, including lead levels.
City staff have conducted an extensive lead sampling study since June
2007. The chart below illustrates all
test results collected.
Of the 1,012 homes tested during this period, there were thirteen (13) results that exceeded the 10.0 mg/L guideline. These thirteen (13) locations were re-tested and twelve (12) sites were found to be within the 10.0 mg/L drinking water guideline. Only one home remained in non-compliance with the required levels. Further investigation determined that the elevated lead concentration for this particular home was caused by an unusually long lead service line. This abnormally long service has been prioritized and will be replaced this fall.
As the graph describes, the results of an extensive lead sampling program are clear. Lead levels in Ottawa’s drinking water are confirmed below the 10.0 mg/L standard adopted in Ontario Drinking Water Standards (O.Reg. 169/03). This outcome is of great importance. Lead concentration in Ottawa’s drinking water is not a major public health risk. A lead water service replacement program intended to allow residents to reduce their intake is nonetheless a valuable objective to decrease the overall population exposure to lead, and will be achieved via the proactive asset management of lead services in Ottawa.
Lead levels in drinking water became prominent at the provincial level after test results from many municipalities showed lead concentrations above the provincial standards. The Province has enacted new regulations to take control of the situation. The new regulations identify the need for a communication plan, a lead level monitoring plan and an asset management plan.
Communication
Plan
Staff has already implemented an extensive communication campaign as part of the 2007 Proactive Lead Service Replacement project. A direct mail out of a letter and a brochure was sent to all owners of homes suspected of having lead services. The brochure explains the health effects of lead, the City’s current compliance with all Federal and Provincial health-based guidelines for lead in drinking water, how a homeowner can identify whether they have a lead service, how homeowners can reduce their exposure to lead in drinking water through a few very simple practices in the home and how homeowners can apply for the Proactive Lead Service Replacement program. Brochures were also made available at all City Client Centres. In addition, the City website was updated with similar information, and a media campaign was launched. The media uptake was tremendous, with spots in all major daily newspapers, television and radio stations, as well as community newspapers.
A similar approach will be utilized in 2008 with the update of the brochure and the website. This new information will also be made available at all City Client Service Centres. Again, the media will also be engaged to raise customer awareness. These activities will serve to meet the City’s regulated requirement for a communication plan.
Lead in Drinking Water Level Monitoring
Plan
New regulations require the City to begin monitoring 130 sites, twice a year, under a strict sample protocol. Staff is currently beginning the task of identifying and obtaining permission to access over 100 homes in order to proceed with water sampling.
The implementation of this new regulation is well beyond the ability of staff to accommodate within existing resources. Additional staff and financial budgetary pressures to comply with this new regulation have been identified as a part of the 2008 Draft Drinking Water Services Rate Budget.
Financial
Plan Regulation – Lead Service Replacement Asset Management Plan
Under the new Financial Plan Regulation O.Reg.453/07, the City must prepare and approve a comprehensive financial plan for its water system, no later than July 1st, 2010. One of the requirements of the comprehensive plan is to provide specific information related to the replacement of lead services. The Financial Plan regulation will be the subject of a future report to Committee and Council.
The City currently has an asset management plan for its underground infrastructure which covers the management of lead water service pipes within the public right-of-way. The Proactive Lead Service Replacement program proposed in this report will complement the current programs.
The City’s approach
to managing lead in drinking water includes:
1)
the continuation
of strong corrosion control measures in water treatment;
2)
the systematic
replacement of all City services as part of watermain rehabilitation programs;
3)
a communication
campaign to inform customers on the health implications of lead and in-home
measures to minimize exposure;
4)
the Proactive
Lead Service Replacement program, i.e. the replacement of the full length of
the lead service on a cost-sharing basis, as requested by customers with
further concerns on lead exposure, including deferred payment options on the
tax bill;
5)
extensive
sampling and testing to comply with the new drinking water lead regulation; and
6)
continued
technical studies and optimization of corrosion control methods using pipe-loop
systems and in-home sampling.
Program Costs:
Proactive Lead Service Replacement Program
It is recommended that the Proactive Lead Service Replacement project be implemented as an ongoing program with an annual Budget of $1 million. These funds will be directed to:
1. An ongoing customer communication program that will rely extensively upon the targeted circulation of information regarding the health implications of lead in drinking water, specific information relating to the concentration of lead in the City of Ottawa drinking water and the City’s Lead Service Replacement program.
2. The replacement of lead
services between the City’s water distribution system and the customer’s water
meter. Included within this element
will be program administration, customer site services (together, 3.16 FTEs, 3
vehicles) and capital allowance for the replacement of the City’s portion of a
lead service replaced under this program.
It is important to note that the funds identified above represent only City costs, including the cost of replacing the City’s portion of the lead service line.
The Proactive Lead Service Replacement program also requires the authority to finance the cost of the private lead service replacement and associated work, if the homeowner elects to defer the payment through the tax bill option. It is estimated that the financing authority required to complement the City spending is $1 million dollars. This authority is in addition to the $1 million required to pay for the City’s portion, but as these funds will be recovered from homeowners over time, this additional authority does not require capital budget.
CITY STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS
In order for the City to meet its regulatory obligations, communication, financial, monitoring, and asset management plans must be implemented.
Conclusion
Lead levels in
Ottawa’s drinking water are well below Health Canada Drinking Water Guidelines
and Ontario’s new Drinking Water Protection Regulation standards. Those guidelines are more or equally
stringent to other jurisdictions in the world. The City already has an asset
management plan that takes into account lead services. This plan replaces each water service, lead
or copper, when the watermain is replaced.
It is estimated that 13,000 lead services have been replaced to
date. New regulations require the City
to communicate to its customers the risk and health impact of lead pipes, as
well as to closely monitor lead levels at the customer’s tap. The City will implement a monitoring plan
and a communication plan in early 2008.
In addition, it is recommended that the City continue its Proactive Lead
Service Replacement program to ensure a responsible and responsive action plan
for its customers with an elevated concern about lead intake. The program will help customers by
eliminating the need for them to hire and manage a contractor, as well as
reducing the financial burden by offering deferred payment options on the tax
bill.
CONSULTATION
The Medical Officer of Health and the Public Health Branch were consulted and agree with the content of this report and the actions proposed.
The Environmental Advisory Committee has been consulted. A copy of the motion passed at the Committee’s meeting of 29 November 2007 is attached as Appendix A to this report. The recommendation that staff complete the replacement of all outstanding lead water pipes in Ottawa by the end of 2010 is addressed in this report.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
This
report has no Tax implications.
Lead Replacement Program:
With the approval of the 2007 budget, Council approved 4.16 temporary FTE’s for the one year Lead Services Replacement Pilot program. This report requests converting 3.16 of the FTE’s and associated costs into permanent FTE’s. The difference of 1 FTE will be identified as a budget reduction in the 2008 Draft Drinking Water Services Operating Budget.
Capital
spending authority of $2 million, offset by revenues from participating
homeowners of $1 million for net costs to the City of $1 million, will be
identified and included in the Drinking Water Services Draft 2008 Capital
Budget.
Sampling
and Monitoring Plan:
The
total costs of the newly mandated lead in drinking water sampling and community
monitoring programs will be identified in the 2008 Draft Drinking Water
Services Budget.
SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION
Attachment A – Environmental Advisory Committee Motion
DISPOSITION
With Council’s approval, the Financial Services Branch will update the
Budget document to reflect the financial implications.
The Public Works and Services Department will continue with the
implementation of the Proactive Lead Service Replacement program, as an ongoing
annual program. Included within this
program will be the required customer communication plans.
APPENDIX “A”
Environmental Advisory Committee
Motion of 29 November 2007
WHEREAS lead is a
poisonous substance with particular impact on children and pregnant women, and
WHEREAS the learning
abilities of children can be affected by lead
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED
THAT the EAC recommend to Council that staff complete the replacement of all
outstanding lead water pipes in Ottawa by the end of 2010, without detracting
from existing health programs.