June 10, 2025 – The City of Sarnia is looking for volunteers for our Lead Reduction Program to help with lead sample collection this spring and fall by having their water tested for the presence of lead. We’re expanding our free water sampling program to areas outside of the designated lead zones to verify that lead was not used for water service lines in those areas.
Since 2019, the City has sampled over 8,000 properties and replaced over 240 lead service lines within the designated lead zones.
Who Qualifies?
To qualify for this program, you must:
- Live at a property outside the primary/secondary lead zones.
- Have not previously had a sample collected at your property.
You can easily check if your property is outside the designated zones using the map on our Lead Reduction Program Page.
What’s Involved?
We require four volunteers for the spring season, and additional properties will be sampled in the fall. No appointment is necessary, and there’s no cost associated with this visit. City staff will visit your property and collect a five-minute water sample from an outside faucet. If you don’t have an outside tap or prefer an internal sample, please specify that during your request.
Sample results will be provided within a few weeks after sample collection. If your sample results indicate lead levels above 10 micrograms per liter (Ontario Drinking Water Quality Standard), the City of Sarnia will conduct further investigations to determine the cause and appropriate next steps.
How to Volunteer
If you live outside the lead zones and are interested in volunteering for free water testing, please contact us by email or phone:
- Email – leadreduction@sarnia.ca
- Phone - 519-332-0330, ext. 2232
When you contact us, please be sure to provide the following information:
- Address
- Name
- Phone Number
- Email Address
We appreciate your help in ensuring safe drinking water for our community.