School divisions and public buildings in Manitoba have been asked by the provincial government to start lead testing all of their water fountains on a regular schedule.

"It's something we've done in the past and it's just something that we're going to continue to do, and every other division in the province," says Western School Division (WSD) Superintendent, Stephen Ross.

"That's a positive thing... for community health and safety and all of those things," he adds.

WSD has worked with the City of Morden to do the lead testing for a while, but Ross says the schedule of when those tests happen will be regulated by the province.

"There is no provincial set pricing with the three labs in the province that do that, and we have been told that we all have to seek out independent pricing from these labs."

Divisions around the province have received price-ranges that varied within $100 difference depending on which lab they called and when, and they're hopeful that this can be resolved with a set price.

Ross adds, "a number of school divisions shared with the province prior to Christmas that it would be great if we could get a provincial locked-in rate that was efficient for taxpayers in this province, and we're still hopeful that maybe something like that could happen."

He says, as testing is being rolled out around the province prices shouldn't fluctuate so greatly from one testing facility to another, especially because the purpose of the test is for public safety.

"Finding a standard set rate for something like lead testing and water testing would be a great thing, as opposed to getting different prices depending on the size of the school division."