Drinking water flows through asbestos pipes in Charlottetown, investigation shows
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CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. — Charlottetown is one among many cities, districts and municipalities in Canada the place ingesting water remains to be flowing by means of asbestos cement pipes, an investigative report by a nationwide broadcaster has discovered.
W5 stated it checked with greater than 100 cities, districts and municipalities within the nation and 90 per cent of them do have asbestos pipes.
The pipes have been put in a long time in the past, and all are nearing end-of-life however are nonetheless delivering faucet water.
W5’s report stated the science round ingesting or ingesting water with asbestos remains to be hotly contested, however there may be analysis that implies ingesting these fibres may elevate the chance of abdomen or different gastrointestinal-related cancers.
Nonetheless, Well being Canada maintains there isn’t any constant proof that ingesting or ingesting asbestos is dangerous, so there may be presently no most restrict that may be in Canadian water. And the federal government company maintains there isn’t any want for testing.
In line with the W5 report, there are 2.7 kilometres of asbestos cement pipe in Charlottetown, which accounts for lower than one per cent of town’s 300 kilometres of water mains.
Different jurisdictions
Following is how Charlottetown compares to a number of the different jurisdictions in Canada with regards to asbestos cement pipes:
- Regina, Sask. – 531 kilometres
- Richmond, B.C. – 230 kilometres
- Vernon, B.C. – 209 kilometres
- Edmonton, Alta. – 1,000 kilometres
- Moncton, N.B. – 9 kilometres
- Halifax, N.S. – 24 kilometres
- Nook Brook, N.L. – 0.3 kilometres
- Charlottetown – 2.7 kilometres
SaltWire requested Richard MacEwen, supervisor of Charlottetown’s water and sewer utility, for an interview. Nonetheless, MacEwen issued a ready assertion by means of town’s communications division.
“The town is actively working in the direction of changing these pipes,” MacEwen stated.
“The just lately accepted 2023-2024 price range consists of funding to interchange 400 metres of (asbestos cement) pipe as a part of the Japanese Gateway infrastructure renewal program; one other location will likely be changed inside 5 years whereas a 3rd location will likely be reviewed for future substitute.”
The Japanese Gateway initiative is a reference to the realm between the Eastlink Centre and the Maritime Electrical plant within the metropolis’s jap half.
MacEwen stated he’s conscious of the asbestos cement pipe places, and procedures are in place to make sure employee security ought to work must happen on the pipe. He added that procedures for engaged on water mains embody practices that decrease the potential launch of any materials into the water provide.
“Well being Canada and the World Well being Group have concluded that there isn’t any constant, convincing proof that asbestos ingested by means of water is dangerous to your well being,” MacEwen stated. “Charlottetown water and sewer utility administration is carefully monitoring the scenario and can undertake greatest practices as they’re developed by the trade.”
Dave Stewart is a well being reporter with SaltWire in Prince Edward Island. He will be reached by e mail at [email protected] and adopted on Twitter @DveStewart.
