N.W.T. gov't says it didn't use 'best practices' for lead testing at schools

Less than a week after parents were notified lead samples were found in two Yellowknife schools' drinking water, the N.W.T. government is saying it did not use best practices in the initial testing.

In an emailed press release that was sent out late Saturday afternoon, the government said the initial water testing in schools "was not conducted using national best practices for water sampling."

The government also noted it also undertook the original sampling process without in-house expertise specific to water testing. It said it didn't engage any third-party experts and didn't consult its own internal water quality experts in advance.

CBC requested an interview with the department. 

The N.W.T. Department of Education, Culture and Employment (ECE) previously told CBC it initially decided to test for lead after "increased public attention to the issue," and particularly because of media coverage of testing in the Yukon being delayed.

News of lead in the school drinking water broke last week after Yellowknife Education District No. 1 sent notices to parents and staff, stating lead levels in École William McDonald's drinking water were detected at 0.00903 milligrams per litre, while Range Lake School's levels were 0.025 milligrams per litre.

Canada's drinking water guidelines state the maximum acceptable level is 0.005 milligrams per litre.

Days after the notices were sent out, ECE said in an email that it received its initial test results for water at École William McDonald Middle School and Range Lake North School on Jan. 22.

In Saturday's update, the government said "although the original intent was to complete testing quickly with available resources, the lack of expert involvement compromised the reliability of both the process and the results."

The territorial government is now re-testing all school water sources where elevated lead levels were previously reported and said "results will be shared as soon as they are received – first with the schools and families, and then with the public."

A review of "how this situation unfolded" is currently underway, the government said in its emailed press release.

"The GNWT acknowledges the concern this situation has caused. While the original intent of this project was to help confirm the safety of school drinking water, the issues identified in the testing process are now enabling clearer steps to ensure water quality and, if necessary, corrective action," the government wrote. 

In a statement issued last Wednesday, ECE Minister Caitlin Cleavland said she is "deeply concerned" about the lead levels in the school water but did not commit to making the review itself public. 

In Saturday's statement, the government said it acknowledges the "concern this situation has caused."