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d l "the majority of Waterloo homeâ€" owners who were asked to hanâ€" dover some of their tap water as part of a lead sampling program has willingly complied with the request. The 20 homes selected to take part in this provincial program were built prior to 1950, when service pipes â€" which connect buildings to the water main â€" were generally made of lead. Waterloo was one of 35 Ontario cities randomly chosen by the Ministry of the Environment to test the lead levâ€" els in municipal and private pipes that have, or are likely to have, lead services. This initiative came about after some drinking water samples in Lonâ€" don revealed unusually high levels of the element. "That caused some concern at which point the ministry decided they wanted to collect information from across the province," said Bill Garibaldi, the city‘s director of water services. The first step was to identify a genâ€" eral area where homes were built before the 1950s. The district chosen is bordered by Kitchener on the south, Westmount Road on the west, Columâ€" bia Street on the north and Weber Street on the east. Cold tap water from the homes was collected on Monday and Tuesday, and the results are due back by June 6. Garibaldi, meanwhile, doesn‘t think there‘s reason for residents to be conâ€" cerned. "I believe our results will be good generally because the water we have has a high calcium content," he said. With hard water, calcium buildup tends to coat the interior of the pipes, which might provide protection from water that comes in contact with lead pipes or solders, he said. But homeowners with lead pipes who chose to soften their water, thereâ€" by removing the calcium, may have increased lead levels. Garibaldi is also optimistic about the results because a 1996 study found Waterloo didn‘t appear to have a probâ€" lem with lead in the water. Responsibility for the maintenance of service pipes is split between the city and the homeowner, with the former City checking lead levels in local water By Jennirer Ormsron _ Chronicle Staff Continued on page 4 ocal environmentalists made I a formal request for a moraâ€" orium on all development on the Waterloo moraine at regional council last week after receiving a notice that the province is reviewing the area‘s status in April. But Regional Chair Ken Seiling said that all the correspondence the region has had with the Minisâ€" ter of the Environment has assured them they are on the right track and should continue to implement policies like the Enviâ€" ronmentally Sensitive Landscapes, Province tells region no need for a moratorium Siblings Eloise and Liam Paniak, aged 2 and 4, enjoy the City of Waterloo‘s 150th anniversary parade on Sunday. Despite a cloudy day, thousands lined the parade route in uptown Waterloo. By Bos VrBanac Chronicle Staff Everyone loves a parade which provides added protection. Waterloo environmental activists David Wellhauser and Louisette Lanteigne received notice last month that the province is conducting a 16â€" month review of the Waterloo moraine and the protections afforded to the source of 48 per cent of the area‘s groundwater. Wellhauser, a member of the Waterlooians, made the request for review to the Environmental Commissioner of Ontario under provisions of the Environmental Bill of Rights. His hope was that the province would review the planning policies governing develâ€" opment on moraine lands and apply the more stringent amendâ€" ments of Ontario‘s new Clean Water Act to offer stronger sourceâ€" water protection. At regional council last week he asked council to support an immediate moratorium on develâ€" opment of significant sourceâ€" water lands, both surface and subâ€" surface, until the review is done. He also asked for immediate moratoriums on water and sewage servicing agreements between municipalities, and to remove a potential pipeline to Lake Erie from the region‘s official plan arguâ€" ing it is no longet feasible under Continued on page 5 NNEER OMUSTON PHOT Accelerator Centre celebrates first year Page 15 Includes up to 51 of 10W30 & Standard Filter 355 Weber St. N., Waterioo _ 519.746.1070 $1995 The Kâ€"W Kodiaks win their home opener/Page 22 STARTUPS