Home / Health / New Brunswick Water: Manganese Warnings Ignored?
New Brunswick Water: Manganese Warnings Ignored?
13 Feb
Summary
- Manganese levels nearly 8x Health Canada's limit were not warned about.
- New Brunswick labs gave conflicting health warnings for well water.
- Province now aligns its water guidelines with federal standards.
A New Brunswick daycare owner discovered dangerous levels of manganese in her well water, exceeding Health Canada's 2019 recommendations by nearly eight times. Despite the potential risk to children, she initially received no health warning, with the lab reporting it as an aesthetic issue. This incident highlights a significant delay, as New Brunswick only recently updated its drinking water guidelines to align with federal standards.
Further investigation revealed inconsistencies in provincial water testing. Samples submitted directly to one lab received health-risk warnings, while identical samples sent through a government service and then to the same lab did not. The provincial environment minister has since stated these discrepancies have been corrected, aiming for a single, unified regulatory system.
With 40% of New Brunswick's population relying on private wells, an estimated 30% of these may have elevated manganese levels. Homeowners are responsible for testing and safety, with treatment systems costing around $1,500 to $2,800, a significant expense for many.
