Drinking Water Testing and Drinking Water Fixture Signage

Ontario is continuing to protect children’s health with new regulation changes aimed at improving drinking water testing in child care centres and schools to minimize children’s exposure to lead.

New amendments to Ontario Regulation 243/07 that took effect July 1, 2017, now require lead testing within these facilities for all fixtures used to provide drinking water and/or prepare food or drink for children under 18. There is a three-year period to test at elementary schools and child care centres, and a five-year period to complete testing at secondary schools.

Ontario Regulation 243/07 also requires testing to measure the presence of lead in drinking water against the provincial drinking water quality standard of 10 micrograms per litre, based on a national guideline set by Health Canada.

As we go through testing each year at Cootes Paradise School, you may notice stickers around certain sinks in the school.  Any water fixture that is meant to provide water for consumption or for food preparation will be clearly labelled with a sign illustrating that the water is provided for drinking purposes. Water fountains will not have these signs as their intended purpose is for drinking.