IQ of Quebec Children at Risk From Exposure to Lead in School and Daycare Water
A recent report by the National Institute of Public Health of Quebec (INSPQ) warns that lead levels in the water of some schools and daycares in Quebec are significant enough to have effects on the intelligence IQ of children.
The 125-page study titled, “*Presence of lead in schools and daycares water: the importance of risk and the relevance of monitoring at each point of use,” was completed in February but only released this month.
*(Présence de plomb dans l’eau des écoles et garderies : importance du risque et pertinence d’une surveillance à chaque point d’utilisation)
Based on data from the Ministry of the Environment the study found that between 2013 to 2016, water tests were performed in 308 schools and 128 daycares with fifteen, about 3 per cent of these establishments having lead levels in at least one of their taps that exceeded a safety limit of 10 micrograms per liter.
Applying the new Health Canada guidelines announced this March, which lowered the acceptable limit to 0.005 mg/L, from the old 1992 limit of 0.01 mg/L, the figures would increase to 8.5 per cent, or 37 establishments.
According to Le Devoir, the report results suggest that in a small number of schools and daycares, where water is contaminated with lead:
- A loss of 1-3 IQ points may be observed on average in infants
- A loss of 2 IQ points on average in children from 1 to 6 years old.
- In the most exposed children, it could even reach 7 IQ points for infants, and 4 points for 1 to 6 years.
The study also found flaws in the current testing methods, such as not enough sampling and allowing taps to flow for five minutes prior to testing.
Global News reported that current rules in Quebec require the water utility providers in each city to test from a single tap at schools or daycares that offer services to children six years old and under. They don’t require municipalities to test every tap in these buildings, and in some cases, cities are not required to test all schools on their territory.
The study does not identify, schools, daycares or their region, and offers the following four recommendations for the government:
- Study the issue further
- Begin pilot projects to compare different types of testing
- Develop new tools to help public health officials advise the schools and daycares
- Offer more support to help all partners evaluate and manage the risks