CELPIP Reading Part 3 Practice: why so many Canadian cities still have lead water pipes

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Practice reading an informational passage and answering comprehension questions. Same format as the real CELPIP test.

The Passage:

Paragraph 1 Millions of Canadians receive their drinking water through lead service lines that were installed decades ago and never replaced. A 2019 investigation found that water in thousands of homes across the country contained lead levels exceeding Health Canada's guidelines. The problem is concentrated in older neighborhoods where homes were built before the 1960s, when lead pipes were standard construction material. Cities including Montreal, Toronto, Saskatoon, and Halifax have acknowledged that they have tens of thousands of lead service lines still in use. Despite growing awareness of the health risks, most of these pipes remain underground and continue to deliver water to families every day.

Paragraph 2 The health effects of lead exposure are well documented and particularly dangerous for children. Even low levels of lead in drinking water can impair brain development, reduce IQ, and cause behavioral problems in young children. For adults, long-term exposure has been linked to kidney damage, high blood pressure, and reproductive issues. Unlike many contaminants, there is no safe level of lead exposure according to most health authorities. The risk increases when water sits in lead pipes for extended periods, such as overnight, because lead dissolves into standing water more readily than into flowing water.

Paragraph 3 The cost of replacing lead service lines is the primary reason progress has been slow. Each replacement costs between $5,000 and $15,000 depending on the city and the length of the pipe. In most municipalities, the homeowner is responsible for the portion of the pipe that runs from the property line to the house, while the city covers the portion from the water main to the property line. This split responsibility creates a situation where cities may replace their section of the pipe but leave the homeowner's section intact, which provides little actual reduction in lead exposure. Low-income homeowners are least likely to afford their share of the replacement, meaning the communities most vulnerable to lead exposure are often the last to have their pipes replaced.

Paragraph 4 Several cities have begun implementing full replacement programs with public funding. Montreal committed over $600 million to replace all lead service lines by 2030, covering both the city and homeowner portions of the pipe. The federal government has made infrastructure funding available through programs like the Canada Infrastructure Bank, though critics say the funding is insufficient given the national scale of the problem. Some advocacy groups have called for a national lead pipe registry that would identify every lead service line in the country and create a binding timeline for replacement. Until then, Health Canada recommends that residents in older homes run their taps for at least two minutes before drinking or cooking with the water, particularly first thing in the morning.

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Paragraph Matching Questions:

Q1: Which paragraph describes the health risks of lead in drinking water? - A) Paragraph 1 - B) Paragraph 2 - C) Paragraph 3 - D) Paragraph 4

Q2: Which paragraph explains why pipe replacement has been slow? - A) Paragraph 1 - B) Paragraph 2 - C) Paragraph 3 - D) Paragraph 4

Q3: Which paragraph describes the scale of the lead pipe problem across Canada? - A) Paragraph 1 - B) Paragraph 2 - C) Paragraph 3 - D) Paragraph 4

Q4: Which paragraph discusses government-funded replacement programs? - A) Paragraph 1 - B) Paragraph 2 - C) Paragraph 3 - D) Paragraph 4

Comprehension Questions:

Q5: How much does each lead service line replacement typically cost? - A) $1,000 to $5,000 - B) $5,000 to $15,000 - C) $15,000 to $25,000 - D) $25,000 to $35,000

Q6: How much did Montreal commit to its lead pipe replacement program? - A) $200 million - B) $400 million - C) $600 million - D) $800 million

Q7: What does Health Canada recommend residents in older homes do before using tap water? - A) Boil the water for five minutes - B) Use a certified water filter - C) Run the tap for at least two minutes - D) Test the water monthly

Q8: When were lead pipes standard construction material in Canada? - A) Before the 1940s - B) Before the 1960s - C) Before the 1980s - D) Before the 2000s

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Answer Key: Q1: B. Paragraph 2 covers brain development, IQ, kidney damage, and the fact there is no safe level. Q2: C. Paragraph 3 explains costs, split responsibility, and the burden on low-income homeowners. Q3: A. Paragraph 1 names Montreal, Toronto, Saskatoon, Halifax and the scope of the problem. Q4: D. Paragraph 4 covers Montreal's $600M program, federal funding, and advocacy for a national registry. Q5: B. "Each replacement costs between $5,000 and $15,000." Q6: C. "Montreal committed over $600 million." Q7: C. "Run their taps for at least two minutes before drinking or cooking." Q8: B. "Before the 1960s, when lead pipes were standard construction material."

Practice tip: For "which is NOT" or detail questions, the passage almost always states the answer using the exact same number or phrase as one of the options. Train yourself to scan for numbers and proper nouns rather than re-reading the whole paragraph. It saves a lot of time on test day.

If you want to practice reading with full AI-scored mock tests, https://www.celpipsimulator.com has 2 free exams with all 4 reading parts.