submitted by EPCOR
EPCOR is working to meet Health Canada’s guidelines to limit lead in drinking water at the tap to 0.005 mg/L or less. While there is no lead in drinking water when it leaves EPCOR’s water treatment plants, it can be introduced through household plumbing sources like lead service lines, pipe solder, faucets, valves and brass fixtures.
To protect Edmonton and surrounding communities from the harmful effects of lead in drinking water EPCOR is adding orthophosphate, a commonly used lead inhibitor, to the water treatment process in early 2023. Edmonton City Council approved the use of orthophosphate in March 2019. The use of orthophosphate was also approved by Alberta Health Services and Alberta Environment and Parks.
Orthophosphate is a safe, tasteless and odourless substance that is naturally present as phosphate in food like bread, cheese, fruits and nuts. Once added, orthophosphate will bond to pipes and plumbing fixtures to form a thin, protective barrier to help prevent the release of lead in drinking water.
There is no action necessary for water consumers to take once orthophosphate is added and there will be no change in the taste, odour or colour of water – people can continue to use water as they normally would.
The addition of orthophosphate is a cost-effective, industry-standard approach for proactively dealing with lead. Orthophosphate is used by municipalities throughout North America, including Toronto, Winnipeg and Halifax, Washington, New York, and in the United Kingdom.
This is part of EPCOR’s Enhanced Lead Mitigation Strategy, which also includes replacing lead water service lines, typically found in houses built before 1960.
EPCOR has been testing orthophosphate effectiveness since 2017 in a specialized pilot plant and lab facility at the E.L. Smith Water Treatment Plant. Our testing shows adding orthophosphate significantly reduces lead levels by more than 80 per cent at the tap when orthophosphate dosing is continuous and lead service lines are not disturbed. EPCOR will continue to monitor this progress once orthophosphate is added to the water treatment process.
More information is available at epcor.com/ortho.
