The City of Weyburn tested residences and businesses throughout Weyburn during July and August, where the water line pipe material types were unknown.

"In conducting these investigations, we found that 50 of these water services were in fact Lead," said Laura Delanoy, Assistant Engineer, City of Weyburn.

Delanoy also stated that the 50 lead water service lines identified for replacement represent approximately 1% of the water service lines in the City of Weyburn. These lines have been identified in residences and commercial properties built prior to 1955. Lead metal was rarely used for water service lines after 1955.

"The City will now be going back to these residences and commercial properties and replacing the lead service lines as well as the sewer lines at those locations."

The tests were done by visual inspection as well as a key scratch method. Lead lines are soft and so will indent when scratched with a key.

Delanoy also said how the city has hired a contractor to do the lead line replacements. This will involve two visits to a property. The first visit will see what is needed for the replacement and then the contractor will come back to replace the lead line and sewer line. This process should be able to be completed in one day.

There will be two field teams completing the lead service line and sewer line replacements and will be working as close together as possible going block by block depending on how the program is set up.

There are a few sights which haven't been in touch previously because the city already knows they have lead services and will be contacted in within two or three weeks before the replacement program starts.

"We are looking at the program starting the first week of October and being completed late November early December."

The City of Weyburn would like Weyburn residents to be aware, that there is a small chance too, that not all lead water service lines within the City of Weyburn, have been identified at this time. If a resident of Weyburn has a property built prior to 1955 and they are concerned that their water service line may be Lead-based, the resident can call the City of Weyburn to confirm their service line material type.