# Lead water pipes Petawawa 23 DEC 2008



## X-mo-1979 (30 Dec 2008)

Figured I would pass this around as we found it stuck in with our junk mail today.I guess after having these houses paid off for an eon,they can't afford to remove the lead pipes.


ATTN DND HOUSING RESIDENTS

This is a reminder to occupants of DND residential Housing that it is recommended to run your tap water for at least 20 mintues if your home has been unoccupied for more than two days.Health canada recommends this for any older housing units that have been constructed with lead pipes.

These measures are in accordance with Health Canada's recommendations to minimize lead exposure from drinking water.

In general it is standard practice for older housing units with lead solder piping to run their water for several minutes prior to first use each day.

This will clear the water that has been standing overnight in your plumbing system.

For further information about lead in drinking water visit the Health Canada website.

http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca

W.R Moore
Lieutenant Colonel
Base Commander


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## PuckChaser (30 Dec 2008)

Why would CFHA put money into the housing? With the rate they're tearing it down in some bases, it seems they want to get out of that business in a hurry.


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## blacktriangle (31 Dec 2008)

Oh sweet, and I guess people's kids have to drink from that ?  :


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## RCDtpr (31 Dec 2008)

Meh, I've been drinking that water for a few years now.....hasn't affected me.  Now in 20 years it might be a different story


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## X-mo-1979 (31 Dec 2008)

popnfresh said:
			
		

> Oh sweet, and I guess people's kids have to drink from that ?  :



That was my main concern.I wish we had known about it before living here for a few years.As I have never ran our water,as prior to getting the letter we had no need to the best of our knowledge.


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## George Wallace (31 Dec 2008)

X-mo-1979 said:
			
		

> That was my main concern.I wish we had known about it before living here for a few years.As I have never ran our water,as prior to getting the letter we had no need to the best of our knowledge.



Let's put it this way:  They had the decency to keep you and your neighbours informed as to a potential health risk.  Something that you never got in any of your previous residences....  And don't go and tell us that you have never lived in a home/apartment that wasn't less than ten years old or built after 1990.  

Think of what you drank when you were a kid living at your parents.  Now!  What is your problem?


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## geo (31 Dec 2008)

There are tons of things that appear to be safe, sold to consumers in good faith.... that you eventually find out are not good for you or your dog.  The buildings were built, to building code standards of the time (one would assume).


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## 63 Delta (31 Dec 2008)

George Wallace said:
			
		

> Let's put it this way:  They had the decency to keep you and your neighbours informed as to a potential health risk.  Something that you never got in any of your previous residences....  And don't go and tell us that you have never lived in a home/apartment that wasn't less than ten years old or built after 1990.
> 
> Think of what you drank when you were a kid living at your parents.  Now!  What is your problem?



I wouldnt say they had the decency to keep neighbours informed. I have yet to receive such notice in my mail box. If it wasn't for me checking the Army.ca I would have never known. As it appears to be a reminder from the Base Commander, why wasn't I notified by CFHA 8 months ago when I moved in? Its not like I would forget something that important.

Maybe that's why I was complaining the water tasted funny the other day...


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## George Wallace (31 Dec 2008)

HULK_011 said:
			
		

> I wouldnt say they had the decency to keep neighbours informed. I have yet to receive such notice in my mail box. If it wasn't for me checking the Army.ca I would have never known. As it appears to be a reminder from the Base Commander, why wasn't I notified by CFHA 8 months ago when I moved in? Its not like I would forget something that important.
> 
> Maybe that's why I was complaining the water tasted funny the other day...



 :

I am sure each and every other residence that you have lived in has also given you such a notice.  

Check your email when you get back to work.  Without a doubt there is a notice there.  You know......one of the ones that is a mass mailing and that you automatically put in the Delete folder without reading.

I am also sure that when you moved in to a Q, there was some sort of info package, that once again the majority of people don't bother to read.


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## X-mo-1979 (31 Dec 2008)

George Wallace said:
			
		

> :
> 
> I am sure each and every other residence that you have lived in has also given you such a notice.
> 
> ...



 : :
SOme of the troops don't haver e mail in the "offices".And sometimes apparently it doesnt got passed on.


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## geo (31 Dec 2008)

Most bases / areas have a magazine sized booklet that informs everyone about services available.... my guess is you would find the notice THERE.


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## George Wallace (31 Dec 2008)

X-mo-1979 said:
			
		

> : :
> SOme of the troops don't haver e mail in the "offices".And sometimes apparently it doesnt got passed on.



 :

How many more excuses do you want to make?

Your NCO's have email, and should pass on things in "O" Groups.  You should also have an info package when you moved into your PMQ.  You should also read the Petawawa Post a little more carefully, as there was probably a notice there.  There are just too many means out there that this information was probably passed along, and ignored by 99% of the recipients.  Then all of a sudden one day someone else points out the problem and they become informed and also enraged (due to their own fault at dismissing the facts put forward to them earlier).  

So.  Once again I ask:  Isn't this info something that you have never received in any of your previous residences....  And don't go and tell us that you have never lived in a home/apartment that wasn't less than ten years old or built after 1990.  

Think of what you drank when you were a kid living at your parents.  Now!  What is your problem?

Would you have prefered not being informed at all?


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## geo (31 Dec 2008)

How often do you get to hear about these "boil water" requirements all over the country....


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## Deck (31 Dec 2008)

Some people seem to find just about any excuse to pull the alarm. Most of us take to heart our inherent responsibility to safe guard ourselves with appropriate research and action. For example, common knowledge would suggest that if your primary place of residence is of an age and or an era where materials used in it's construction ( might pose the possible risk, however narrow the probability ) are questionable you are adequately informed by that same public awareness. Therefore we seldom see warning labels on sidewalks suggesting that the chewing of gum while using the infrastructure in question, may result in the skinning of your knee in the event of a fall. I don't mean to be presenting my argument in defense of anyone or any single organizations responsibility. I just would have thought that of all the places where a little more emphasis could be placed on a common sense approach to public awareness and warning would be the CF. It is hardly the most safe guarded secret in Canada's history that we have made a very conscious effort to remove most lead based products from our retail consumption habit. We come together as a nation and condemn other countries for using any such lead based products in their own manufacturing. Seems not so long ago we were on the verge of boycott of a certain toy manufacture for it's negligent practices. Yet with all the energy expelled trying to see past the horizon and prepare for the next outrage or align our watchdogs with the power to inform us the masses with what else on the gazillion item list that may prove to harmful to our health. We are more concerned with making sure we are babysat and told " It's o.k. Mr. Jones, you are safe to live today and I assume complete ownership of any all things that may in any way impair your ability to do so ". Please keep in mind I am only offering my perspective on the subject of the initial topic and not on the person or author of the topic. My interpretation of the post is that it was intended to elicit and sympathetic response to a questionable practice perceived to have been endured. My simplified reaction to this post is that had common knowledge not been very readily at hand or had there been a valid argument to prove actual  intent to deceive or otherwise ill inform. I would be more inclined to accept the point of view elicited in the post. However, reality is such that by authoring the post a certain degree of ignorance and benevolence is apparent. As though a debt of guardianship is owed and was some how faltered upon simply because some one didn't over explain the obvious.


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## Bruce Monkhouse (31 Dec 2008)

Actually I have read ads about running the water in any older house in newspapers for years paid for by the Ontario Govt.

I doubt this is anything special just pertaining to PMQ dwellers in Petawawa rather just a friendly "trying-to-be-helpful" reminder of something everyone who reads should have known anyway.


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## Sigs Pig (31 Dec 2008)

> Think of what you drank when you were a kid living at your parents.


 What about the schools?

Every few years this scare comes up and then they seem to think of the cost to replace all pipes in schools and then the subject seems to change to sumptin' else. Go figure.
Just run the water.... and don't scrape off the layers of paint in the ol' house!    

ME


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## PuckChaser (31 Dec 2008)

Sigs Pig said:
			
		

> Just run the water.... and don't scrape off the layers of paint in the ol' house!



You can scrape the paint, just don't eat the chips.  >


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## Sigs Pig (31 Dec 2008)

Dug this up on a health website, 





> One study found that wine and acidic juices can draw the lead from lead crystal glassware.


.
Everyone be careful tonight and drink straight from the bottle!  Also, don't share as this will spread germs.

HNY to all,
ME


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## riggermade (31 Dec 2008)

Bruce Monkhouse said:
			
		

> Actually I have read ads about running the water in any older house in newspapers for years paid for by the Ontario Govt.
> 
> I doubt this is anything special just pertaining to PMQ dwellers in Petawawa rather just a friendly "trying-to-be-helpful" reminder of something everyone who reads should have known anyway.



It isn't special it is just another way for PMQ dwellers in Petawawa to complain about CFHA


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## Dog (11 Jan 2009)

The pipes in my Q all appear to be either flex-line, or copper.... I'm sure it's just a blanket measure to cover their own asses in case there are pipes that have not been replaced since '55.


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## geo (11 Jan 2009)

... pipes in the house may have been changed while the lines leading up to the house might not have had any attention in a long, long time.


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## Grunt_031 (11 Jan 2009)

as well,  older houses they used lead/tin solder to connect copper pipes.


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## George Wallace (11 Jan 2009)

Dog said:
			
		

> The pipes in my Q all appear to be either flex-line, or copper.... I'm sure it's just a blanket measure to cover their own asses in case there are pipes that have not been replaced since '55.



That may make you have a false sense of security, when in fact the problem may still be there.  Question now is what type of solder did they use?  Did they use Lead Sodder to seal your connections?


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