MOOSE JAW -- Lead in drinking water isn’t something new to Moose Jaw resident Greg Myers, he had his water tested three years ago and found levels ten times what is recommended for drinking water.

Myers purchased filters and a water cooler, saying that was a cost put solely on his shoulders.

“The city, they don’t supply any of that, you don’t get money off your water bill because you don’t have acceptable drinking water. This is all expenses out of your pocket,” Myers said.

Myers had his line replaced earlier this year after a water main break.

The City of Moose Jaw has over 2,000 lead service lines, which are the contributing factor in lead leaching into the water.

Mayor Fraser Tolmie says the City is working to replace the lines as part of their cast iron water main replacement program, which is in phase four of a 20-year project.

“When we approach a homeowner that is on the street that is going to be getting the cast iron water replacement, if they have a lead service connector, we ask them at that time to consider making that change because it’s more beneficial to them,” Tolmie said.

The cost of replacing the line falls on the homeowner to the tune of over $8,000. The City of Moose Jaw allows residents to spread the cost of replacing the line onto their property taxes over a seven-year period at four per cent interest.

Myers doesn’t feel that’s enough, “It’s something that should be paid for by the provincial and federal governments,” he said. “They’ve got over $2-billion to spend in Regina on a bypass, they can come up with some money for something that’s necessary for safe drinking water.”

Tolmie added the City is looking into a filter program for homeowners dealing with lead service lines while they work to replace the lines.

“Buffalo Pound Water Treatment Plant, which supplies not only the City of Moose Jaw but also Regina and the lead levels that are tested there are very low,” he said. “We have to do a better job of informing people that the water source that we’re providing up until the connector is good.”

This week’s national study has people across the province looking into their drinking water.

Yorkton mayor Bob Maloney says they only have about four per cent of properties with lead service lines and they’ve had a replacement program for a number of years.

“It didn’t stand up as well as PVC, so most of ours were failing and that’s why they were replaced,” he said. “I don’t think lead in the water was ever an issue back in those days.”

Moose Jaw provides testing for homeowners concerned about lead in their drinking water. Tolmie said to contact City Hall for more information.