In Canada and beyond, corrosion is a there are no direct health effects linked to common issue in drinking water distribution and plumbing systems. While corrosion in distribution and plumbing systems, it can cause the release of lead and other contaminants that would be a health concern.
As such, Health Canada—a federal department responsible for helping Canadians maintain and improve their health—issued a new guidance document in early 2025 that focuses on lead as a main contaminant of concern for health.
The results of lead monitoring can be used as the trigger to initiate corrosion control programs to control or mitigate its release.
Corrosion is described by the department as the deterioration of a material, usually a metal, that results from a reaction with its environment. In drinking water distribution systems, materials that can be affected by corrosion—and consequently, release increased amounts of contaminants, such as lead—include metal pipe and...
