Testing For Radionuclides Continues

Results from the latest round of testing for radionuclides in the drinking water of 18 provincial schools on private water supplies show an overall decrease in the levels of lead -210. Only one additional school was marginally above the guideline for total uranium.

Dr. Robert Strang, medical officer of health for the Capital Health District, said the drinking water at these schools does not present an immediate health risk.

"It's important to remember that these are preliminary results and that there is no health risk from continuing to drink the water from these sources during the period of the investigation," said Dr. Strang. "There is no immediate health risk to people."

School boards have been providing bottled water to the affected schools since the testing began in the spring of 2002.

Seasonal variations in levels of lead-210 or uranium are natural. That is why the 18 schools must undergo a series of four tests to determine the average level in their drinking water supply. This latest round of tests is the third of four for most of the schools.

The other 166 of the province's schools tested met Canada's safe drinking water guidelines.

Radionuclides are naturally occurring elements in soil and rock that enter water as it flows through them.

Note: Below is a list of the 18 schools in the province on private water supplies that are being tested for lead-210 and/or uranium. The Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality list the level for lead -210 at 0.10 Bequerels/litre and 20 micrograms/litre for total uranium.

Latest test results:<br x='1'/>
Lead-210 Total Uranium

Atlantic Memorial Elementary 0.27 Big Tancook Elementary 0.11 Brookside Junior High 0.22 *Cabot High School <0.04 East St. Margaret's Elementary 0.36 22 *École acadienne de Pomquet <0.02 Harrietsfield Elementary 0.24 85 Herring Cove Junior High 0.22 *New Ross Consolidated <0.05 Prospect Road Elementary 0.37 River John Consolidated 0.14 27 Sir John A. Macdonald High 0.23 Springfield Consolidated 0.17 St. Margaret's Bay Elementary 0.31 Tantallon Junior High 0.27 Terence Bay Elementary 0.52 Uniacke District Height 0.13 William King Elementary 0.29

• Tested below the guidelines in this series of tests, while previous samples exceeded the guidelines.