The City of Red Deer committed to safe drinking water

July 22, 2010

(Red Deer, Alberta) – The City of Red Deer announced today that they are conducting research over the next few months to identify homes built prior to the early 1960s that may have lead water service lines. Homeowners located within identified areas of the city will be contacted by letter within the next week. The City is requesting their participation in the identification process.

Pre-1960 building codes allowed for the use of lead piping for home water services. There are approximately 3,500 homes in Red Deer where the service piping material is unknown. The City expects that several hundred of these homes will have a lead water service. The goal at this time is to identify the affected homes and test their water for traces of lead.

The City of Red Deer uses a caustic soda treatment to balance the pH of the finished water and minimize water corrosion. This practice creates a protective film which coats the inside of the pipes and minimizes lead seepage.

“The City of Red Deer’s water is safe and is continually tested to ensure it meets all provincial water quality standards,” said Randy Reaman, Water Superintendent with The City of Red Deer. “This study will help us gather information to use as a baseline to develop future testing protocols to maintain our high drinking water standards.”

Red Deer’s drinking water comes from the Water Treatment Plant and is virtually lead free. The lead level content in Red Deer’s drinking water distribution system is well within the Health Canada guidelines for corrosion control in water distribution systems (2009).

The study is expected to be completed in late October, and The City will continue to work with homeowners as individual results come in. The overall results will be made available on The City’s website.

The City is working closely with Alberta Health and Wellness and Alberta Health Services (http://www.health.alberta.ca) to maintain safe drinking water for all Red Deer residents in accordance with Health Canada guidelines (http://hc-sc.gc.ca).

For more information visit www.reddeer.ca

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For further information, please contact:

Nathalie Viau
Environmental Program Specialist and Project Lead
Environmental Services
403-342-8750