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Residential Lead Monitoring Program

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Be Part of The RM Of Springfield’s 2025 Lead Monitoring Program

The RM of Springfield Water and Waste Department is looking for 20 individual residences on the Municipal Water Supply within the Dugald community and 10 individual residences on the Municipal Water Supply within the Oakbank community to participate in the 2025 Residential Lead Monitoring Program.

In 2019, Health Canada lowered the lead health-based guideline from 0.010 mg/L to 0.005 mg/L based on a water sample collected at the consumer’s tap.

In 2020, Manitoba adopted Health Canada’s guideline as a standard in the drinking Water Quality Standards Regulation.

In 2022, the RM of Springfield was advised that its municipal drinking water systems (Anola, Dugald, and Oakbank) would become part of the Residential Lead Monitoring Program beginning in 2023.

The 2025 Residential Lead Monitoring Program involves the communities of Dugald and Oakbank with the community of Anola to follow suit in 2026.

In order to qualify, individual residences on the Dugald and Oakbank Municipal Water Supply will be asked to fill out a simple questionnaire. Following acceptance of the residence, RM of Springfield Water and Waste Department Operations Team staff will deliver a 1.0 L clear plastic bottle to collect a sample at your tap. Individual samples will be gathered and sent to lab for testing. Test results will be shared with the Office of Drinking Water and the individual residence.

There is no cost to the residence to participate in this program. The Utility plans to start testing in late July (pending interest) with results shared in a timely matter in early fall.

If you have any questions or would like to express your interest in the program, please contact the Water and Waste Department at 204-444-7359 or email at waterwaste@rmofspringfield.ca.



Resources

Manitoba Residential Lead Monitoring Program

Manitoba Office of Drinking Water

Lead in Drinking Water - Manitoba Sustainable Development

Lead in Drinking Water - Government of Canada

Annual Drinking Water Report - the RM of Springfield publishes an extensive annual drinking water report.

Government of Manitoba - Lead in Drinking Water Information for Manitoba Schools, Child Care Centres, and Large Buildings

About Lead in Drinking Water

Lead is a soft, bluish-grey metal that has many industrial uses and can be found naturally in the environment. Tap water is generally not the most significant source of exposure to lead, however, drinking water can contribute to a person’s overall lead exposure. Trace amounts can also be found in air, soil, household dust, food, and various consumer products.

Exposure to high levels of lead can cause a variety of health and developmental issues. Lead exposure has the greatest impact to infants, young children, and pregnant women.

Lead is usually found in drinking water as a result of leaching from distribution and plumbing system components. Lead is no longer used in service lines and fittings, so its presence is more likely in the plumbing of older homes and buildings. Lead can enter drinking water when a chemical reaction occurs in plumbing materials that contain lead (built prior to 1990). This process is known as corrosion – the dissolving and wearing away of metal from pipes and fixtures. 

There are no lead structures in the RM of Springfield’s water distribution system. Any lead detected in tap water will be the result of leaching lead plumbing fixtures located in older properties.

In addition to implementing an annual water sampling program, the RM of Springfield is proactive in managing its water supply and testing and monitoring regularly for all contaminants, including lead. 

Specific to lead:

  • The RM of Springfield’s water distribution system has never had any lead service piping or components;
  • The RM of Springfield has a natural ground water source; lead in ground water is minimal; 
  • All water services installations in the Municipality were completed after lead was prohibited in plumbing components;
  • Fluctuating PH levels in water can influence the rate of leaching of lead; the RM of Springfield’s water PH levels change minimally, and has always stayed within the optimal zone to minimize lead leaching characteristics;

A licensed plumber is the best way to determine if your plumbing has lead in it. They will need to enter your home to make a visual inspection of your pipes and plumbing system.

Flush your pipes. If it has been a few hours since you have used water, run a tap until the water is very cold, and then let it run for at least one more minute. This will pull fresh water from the watermain into the pipes.

Lead in pipes moves more readily into hot water than into cold water. Cold water is less likely to contain lead, even after flushing the pipes.

Avoid drinking discolored water as it may contain temporarily elevated levels of lead or other contaminants.

Filters should be NSF-certified. To be effective, filters and cartridges should be maintained and replaced as per the manufacturer. 

Be sure to contact a licensed plumber to understand your options and cost.