SYDNEY, N.S. — The Cape Breton Regional Municipality water utility is searching for volunteers to take part in residential tap water sampling as part of routine testing for lead and copper.  

The municipality is looking for about 150 homes that get water from the utility to participate in the free testing, according to a press release issued on Friday. 

A limited number of customers from each of the CBRM distribution systems in Sydney, Glace Bay, Northside, New Waterford, Louisbourg, Floral Heights and Centreville are being sought. 

The sampling will determine if lead and copper are present in customers’ tap water and a results letter will be provided.  

Although lead and copper can occur naturally in the environment, the main source of the metal in drinking water is through the leaching of plumbing materials such as pipes, solder, faucets and fittings.  

While copper is an acceptable material for use in plumbing, lead is no longer an acceptable building material but some older homes may still have lead pipes.  

Lead was also allowed to be used in solder until 1986 and in fittings or faucets until 2013, leaving several potential sources for lead contamination.  

In 2019, Health Canada lowered the maximum acceptable concentration for lead in drinking water from 0.010mg/L to 0.005mg/L and introduced a new maximum allowable concentration for copper of 2 mg/L.  

Participants will be registered on a first-come, first-served basis until the program is filled, and customers can apply online at www.cbrm.ns.ca/water-utility. 

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