I stepped through the doors of École St. Joseph School on a crisp autumn morning, the kind where frost still clings to the edges of fallen leaves. The hallways buzzed with the usual energy of children moving between classes, but in the staff room, the mood was different. Teachers huddled around a notice about water testing results, their voices hushed with concern.
This scene has become increasingly familiar across Yellowknife in recent weeks. École St. Joseph School is now the third educational institution in the Northwest Territories capital to report lead contamination in its drinking water, following similar findings at N.J. Macpherson School and École Sir John Franklin High School.
“We immediately shut off access to the affected water sources and brought in bottled water for students and staff,” said Simone Gessler, superintendent of Yellowknife Catholic Schools, who spoke with me as maintenance staff placed “Do Not Use” signs on problematic fountains. “The safety of our school community is our absolute priority.”
According to test results received last Friday, 14 of the 28 water sources tested at St. Joseph exceeded Health Canada’s maximum acceptable concentration for lead, which is 5 parts per billion. This follows a pattern seen at the other affected schools, where multiple drinking fountains and faucets have been taken out of service after revealing elevated lead levels.
The contamination has rattled parents across the city, though health officials are working to temper fears. Dr. Kami Kandola, the territory’s chief public health officer, emphasized that while concerning, these findings don’t necessarily represent an immediate health crisis.
“Lead exposure through drinking water at these levels would require consistent consumption over extended periods to pose serious health risks,” Dr. Kandola explained during our phone conversation. “The proactive testing and quick response from schools means exposure has been limited.”
The territorial government began testing water in all Yellowknife schools after concerning results emerged at N.J. Macpherson earlier this fall. That initial discovery prompted wider scrutiny of the city’s aging educational infrastructure, much of which was built during decades when building codes had different standards for plumbing materials.
What’s particularly concerning about lead contamination is its insidious nature. Unlike bacterial contaminants that might cause immediate illness, lead accumulates in the body over time, potentially affecting brain development in children. Health Canada notes that even low-level exposure can impact cognitive function, behavior, and growth, with children under six and pregnant women facing the highest risks.
I watched as a group of kindergarteners lined up to fill their colorful water bottles from the newly delivered water dispensers. Their teacher patiently explained why they couldn’t use the drinking fountain they’d used just last week—a difficult conversation happening in classrooms throughout the city.
“My daughter came home asking if she was going to get sick from the water at school,” said Melissa Iatridis, mother of a third-grader at St. Joseph. “It’s hard to explain to an eight-year-old about contaminants they can’t see or taste, especially when they’ve been drinking that same water all year.”
The territorial Department of Infrastructure is working with all three affected schools on remediation plans. In some cases, this may involve replacing fixtures, pipes, or installing filtration systems certified to remove lead. In the meantime, bottled water remains the temporary solution.
According to data from the Canadian Water Network, the issue of lead in school drinking water extends far beyond Yellowknife. A 2019 national investigation by journalists across Canada found elevated lead levels in drinking water at hundreds of schools and daycares across the country. The investigation revealed that many provinces lacked consistent testing requirements, leaving potential contamination undetected.
This national context offers little comfort to Yellowknife parents, however. At a hastily arranged information session at St. Joseph last night, questions focused on immediate concerns: How long has this been going on? Could past exposure have affected my child? When will permanent fixes be implemented?
Rob Warburton, a parent of two students and Yellowknife city councillor, expressed frustration at what he sees as reactive rather than proactive infrastructure management. “These buildings have been serving our children for decades. We shouldn’t be discovering these problems through emergency testing. We need regular monitoring and maintenance before issues arise.”
The territorial government has promised to complete testing at all remaining schools by the end of November, with results to be made public as they become available. Officials have also pledged to develop a regular testing schedule moving forward.
For the schools already affected, the path to remediation will likely be complex. Laura Busch, spokesperson for the Department of Infrastructure, explained that solutions will be tailored to each building’s specific issues.
“In some cases, we’re dealing with older fixtures that need replacement. In others, the issue might be in the pipes behind the walls, which requires more extensive work,” Busch said. “Each water source that tested above acceptable levels will be retested after remediation to ensure the problem has been resolved.”
While bottled water provides an immediate solution, it creates new challenges around waste management and sustainability—an irony not lost on educators trying to teach environmental responsibility.
Standing in the school’s main entrance as dismissal time approached, I watched parents greet their children with questions about their day, many carrying extra water bottles from home. It was a visible reminder of how environmental health concerns ripple through communities, changing daily routines and adding new layers of worry to family life.
For Yellowknife, a city already facing challenges from climate change impacts and the rising cost of northern living, this water quality issue adds another dimension to the complex reality of raising children in Canada’s North. But it also showcases the community’s resilience—schools adapting quickly to protect students, parents organizing information sessions, and public health officials providing guidance based on evidence rather than fear.
As the last bell rang and students streamed toward the doors, I noticed a first-grader pause to read one of the “Water Not for Drinking” signs newly posted above a fountain. She shrugged, adjusted her backpack, and continued on her way—a small moment of adaptation in a northern community that has always found ways to overcome environmental challenges.
