Lead in Drinking Water

In March 2019, Health Canada lowered the national guideline for lead in drinking water from a maximum acceptable concentration of 0.01 milligrams per litre (mg/L) to 0.005 mg/L based on a sample of water taken at the consumer tap. Manitoba adopted this new guideline as a drinking water quality standard in 2020.

Lead is not natural to Manitoba source waters. It is introduced into drinking water through corrosion of lead-bearing materials in service lines to homes and buildings, and in plumbing systems and fixtures. The only way to detect if a home or building has lead in its drinking water is to test at the taps.

For more information about lead in drinking water, click on the drop-down menu options below.

Communities, Home and Building Owners

Residential Lead Monitoring Program

To help water systems implement Health Canada’s new, more stringent national guideline on lead in drinking water, the Office of Drinking Water, in collaboration with Manitoba Health, has established the Residential Lead Monitoring Program. Municipalities implementing the Program communicate information about lead to residents, work with home owners to collect water samples, share test results, and provide direction/advice when results are high.

Water system owners and operators requiring further information on the program and how to implement, should visit:  Monitoring for Lead at the Tap - Operational Guideline for Manitoba Water Suppliers.


Home and Building Owners

Homes and buildings built before 1990 might have lead in the plumbing, which could include lead service lines, lead plumbing fixtures, and solder. This can increase lead levels in the tap water in these homes and buildings. The older the home or building the greater the risk.


Community Initiatives for Lead in Drinking Water

A number of Manitoba municipalities have their own webpages on lead in drinking water. Visit their sites to learn about the action being taken to address elevated lead levels within their communities.


Schools and Child Care Centres

Lead in Drinking Water Grant Program (2021-2025)

To help protect children from the harmful effects of lead, the Manitoba government launched the Lead in Drinking Water Grant Program in 2021. This initiative provided full funding for lead testing and mitigation activities in over 1,500 schools and child care centres across the province to ensure drinking water met national guidelines. The program concluded March 31, 2025.

Participation Results

To view whether a specific school or child care center completed testing and mitigation, visit:

Facility Type

Eligible

Tested

% Tested

Elevated

Mitigated

% Mitigated

Public Schools

695

638

92%

386

330

85%

Independent Schools

134

96

72%

33

15

45%

Licensed Child Care Centres

755

739

98%

104

43

41%

Total

1,584

1,473

93%

523

388

74%


Important Note: The data presented above includes testing and mitigation activities completed under the Lead in Drinking Water Grant Program only. Any actions taken outside the program or after March 31, 2025, have not been reported.

Work is ongoing within Manitoba Education and Early Childhood Learning to ensure that public schools, independent schools, and licensed child care centres with elevated lead levels implement or continue appropriate mitigation measures.

Additional information may be available through individual school or school division websites. For site-specific questions, please contact the individual school or child care centre directly.

Resources

For schools and child care centres:

For parents, caregivers and educators: 

Contact Information

If you have any questions, please consult or reach out to one of the resources below:

Health-related inquiries:

Drinking water related inquiries:

  • Contact the Office of Drinking Water at

Phone: 204-945-5762
Email: odw@gov.mb.ca
Website: Office of Drinking Water


Additional Information