Shirley Zouboules, YK1 Superintendent of Yellowknife Education, confirmed with True North FM on Tuesday morning that a water advisory was in place at École William McDonald Middle School. This afternoon, YK1 announced on their website that “precautionary actions” had been taken in partnership with the Department of Education, Culture and Employment after tap water at both École William McDonald Middle School and Range Lake North School tested positive for lead.
Officials from both schools said that notifications have been sent out to all parents and guardians that tap water and fountain water at the schools are temporarily unavailable for drinking or cooking.
The schools notified parents, guardians and the public that they are using alternate safe drinking water sources (bottled water and dispensers) for students and staff.
“Protecting the health and well-being of our students is our top priority,” said YK1 officials, who emphasized that they are taking precautionary measures seriously by cutting off all water consumption sources at the affected schools.
“Prolonged exposure to elevated levels of lead can pose health risks, especially for children, which is why YK1 and ECE are taking this proactive approach,” YK1 officials acknowledged.
YK1’s announcement today noted that the positive lead results at each school were based on one sample taken in the spring.
“The samples, collected in April 2025 as part of the territory-wide school water testing initiative, showed lead concentrations slightly above Health Canada’s maximum acceptable guideline of 0.005 mg/L,” said YK1 officials.
According to Health Canada’s guidelines (February 2025), the “maximum acceptable concentration” of lead in drinking water is 0.005 mg/L.”
YK1 officials said that additional testing is required and underway. They assured that the results of the follow-up testing “will be shared with the school community as they become available.“
“YK1 is working closely with public health officials and infrastructure specialists to investigate and resolve the issue quickly,” they added.
The Office of the Chief Public Health Officer is investigating as well.
“An enhanced testing protocol is now underway, in partnership with the Office of the Chief Public Health Officer (OCPHO), to assess all fountains and cold water taps used for drinking and food preparation.”
Officials are searching for the potential source of exposure.
“Lead can enter drinking water through corrosion of pipes and fixtures, particularly in buildings with older plumbing systems,” YK1 acknowledged. They said the schools’ plumbing systems are currently being tested to help identify any potential issues.
School representatives said that the water at the schools is “safe” for non-consumption activities such as handwashing and cleaning.
True North FM reached out to the GNWT’s Health and Social Services department and the Department of Education, Culture and Employment for more information about the schools’ water advisory and will share that information once it becomes available.
