Health officials have issued a safety order for Chief Jimmy Bruneau School in Behchokǫ̀, Northwest Territories, after tests found high levels of lead in the water. The order was put in place on March 24, 2026, to make sure students and staff have access to safe drinking water.
The Office of the Chief Public Health Officer ordered the school to stop using 17 water fixtures, including some used for drinking and cooking. These taps and fountains will stay out of use until they are replaced or fitted with new filters to ensure the water meets health standards.
This testing is part of a territory-wide program by the Government of the Northwest Territories to check water in every school. This is the second school in the community to find lead issues this year, following similar results at Elizabeth Mackenzie Elementary School in February 2026.
Chief Jimmy Bruneau School is one of the oldest in the area, having first opened in the early 1970s. While the school works on water repairs, the community is also dealing with low levels in Marion Lake, which has forced the local government to truck in water supplies.
