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Institute for Inclusive, Investigative and Innovative Journalism | The Tainted H2O Investigation | Investigative Reporter

  • Writer: Dylanna Fisher
    Dylanna Fisher
  • Jul 1, 2023
  • 6 min read

Updated: 8 hours ago

The Tainted H2O Investigation, Investigative Reporting, Institute for Inclusive, Investigative and Innovative Journalism, Fellowship


Canadian Journalism • Investigative Reporting • Public Health Reporting • 2019–2020


Project Summary

I contributed to one of Canada's largest collaborative investigative journalism projects examining lead contamination in drinking water through research, interviews and field reporting. The investigation focused on identifying at-risk communities, raising public awareness, and providing Canadians with practical information on protecting themselves from lead exposure in drinking water.


Lead in drinking water usually originates from the leaching of metal pipes and fixtures, not from the water source itself. We gathered thousands of undisclosed results and tested water from hundreds of homes across 11 cities. The report found that lead levels surpassed national safety standards. It stated that one-third of the tests exceeded the federal guideline of 5 parts per billion of lead, with some of the highest concentrations found in Montreal, Gatineau, Regina, and Saskatoon.


My Role

As an Investigative Reporter with the Institute for Investigative Journalism (I3J) during a summer fellowship at MacEwan University, I participated in collaborative journalism projects investigating lead contamination in drinking water across Canada. Working alongside journalists, researchers, scientists, universities, and major media organizations, our team travelled across Canada to interview people, search through public records, analyze water-testing data, and uncover more information about lead in Canadian drinking water. I conducted interviews, collected field data, researched public records and co-authored nationally published investigative stories.


Key Contributions include the following:

  • Researched municipal records, government documents, and scientific studies

  • Conducted interviews via cold calling, email outreach, and in-person fieldwork

  • Performed door-to-door reporting and community engagement across Alberta

  • Assisted with water sample collection and field data gathering

  • Verified data through fact-checking and cross-referencing multiple sources

  • Contributed to a national database of lead testing results

  • Collaborated with journalists, editors, scientists, and researchers across Canada

  • Supported chain-of-custody protocols and data integrity standards


The Tainted H2O Investigation Project Details

Client: Institute for Inclusive, Investigative and Innovative Journalism (I3J)

Industry: Journalism • Public Interest Reporting

Project Type: Investigative Journalism • Data Journalism

Role: Investigative Reporter

Timeline: February 2019 – September 2019

Project Scope: Conducted investigative reporting, interviews and field research for Canada's largest collaborative investigation into lead contamination in drinking water.

Audience: Canadian public • Government • News organizations

Project Reach: Published nationally through major Canadian media organizations including The Toronto Star and Global News.


Outcome

The investigation resulted in a series of nationally published stories that brought greater public attention to lead contamination in Canadian drinking water. The project contributed to a broader national conversation about drinking water safety, public infrastructure, and government transparency while demonstrating the impact collaborative investigative journalism can have on public awareness and accountability.



Skills Used

Investigative Journalism • Research • Data Collection • Interviewing • Fact-Checking • Public Records Research • Collaborative Reporting • Data Analysis • Source Development • Evidence-based storytelling • Plain language communication • Data validation • Cross-functional collaboration • Documentation management • Critical thinking •


Tools Used

Microsoft Excel • Google Workspace • Public Records Databases • Municipal Archives •


Rusty pipe over blue background with large Tainted Water text and a water spill, suggesting contamination.

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Publication Links


Learn more about the Tainted H2O project below.

Here is a list of coverage about both myself and the project.


Visit here to find the listing of publications, including other articles by the IIIJ team published at the same time, ensuring a national release of information.


Below is all the published content from the project:


Graffiti-marked drinking fountain beside a lakeside park path, with trees and water in the background.

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