No asbestos fibres found in city water after testings

By Al Beeber - Lethbridge Herald on March 30, 2023.

LETHBRIDGE HERALDabeeber@lethbridgeherald.com

Lethbridge is among at least 85 communities in Canada which still use asbestos cement pipes to deliver drinking water, according to an investigation by CTV’s W5 program.
The City of Lethbridge on Wednesday confirmed there are 177 kilometers of asbestos cement pipes here, which equates to 29 per cent of the total.
A statement from the City said during the most recent winter, the water was tested in six neighbourhoods where most of the pipes in the city exist and no asbestos fibres were found in the water.
The City statement added that “Health Canada and the World Health Organization (WHO) both say that there is no risk to your health if you drink water containing asbestos fibres.”
The W5 investigation shows Medicine Hat has 139 kilometres of AC pipes – 32 per cent of its total. Edmonton has 1,000 kms, 25 per cent of its total, Red Deer has 63 kms (10 per cent) and Calgary 67 kms (one per cent).
The Canada.ca website says “there’s no consistent, convincing evidence that asbestos ingested through drinking water is harmful to your health.”
It says asbestos is a naturally occurring fibre that was historically used to make products that were long-lasting, fire-resistant and strong.
The website says standard water treatment can effectively remove asbestos fibre from drinking water supplies.
“If you drink water containing asbestos figures, you eliminate the figures, mostly through feces. For this reason, Health Canada has not established drinking water guidelines for asbestos,” says the website.
“Your risk of exposure to airborne asbestos from tap water is very low.
Research has shown very low percentages of asbestos figures transferring into the air from humidifiers or showers.”
According to a segment on W5, “the science, however, on ingesting or drinking water with asbestos is still hotly contested.” It says there is a growing amount of research that suggests ingesting asbestos fibers “could elevate the risk of stomach and other gastrointestinal cancers.”
According to a 2020 CBC story, “the sources Health Canada uses in its drinking water guidelines are – like asbestos-cement water mains – old. All sources were published before the 1990s.”
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency sets a legal limit of seven million fibre per litre (7 MFL). Health Canada has not established a maximum acceptable concentration.
Medicine Hat’s utility staff issued a statement Monday about the piping in that community stating “the most important thing for our residents to know is that Medicine Hat’s water distribution system meets or exceeds all regulations in delivering safe, clean drinking water to residents.”

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