Water firms flooded with calls after report shows asbestos in city samples

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This article was published 27/03/2023 (942 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Phone lines have been busy for some Winnipeg water companies over fear that asbestos could contaminate city drinking water.

Meanwhile, city officials say they’ve found no evidence of a health threat.

On Saturday, a CTV W5 broadcast thrust the issue into the spotlight. The report noted tests ordered by the news agency found some Winnipeg water samples contained about 60,000 asbestos fibres per litre.

The head of one retail water company said he’s been flooded with calls and visits since the report aired.

“We had a nonstop amount of people coming through our door, as well as making calls, from people who just want to confirm that our water has no asbestos in it,” said Chris Garrick, president of Jackson Springs Water Corporation. “They haven’t come outright and said that they’re scared but obviously that’s the motivation for their call.”

Garrick said his company relies on a natural water source that isn’t affected by city pipes, so the matter has also sparked an uptick in sales. However, he stressed he’s careful to avoid “scare tactics” when addressing public concerns and isn’t an expert on the health effects of asbestos.

Kristin Ritchot, a sales manager with Culligan Water, said her workplace has also been busy handling more phone calls.

“I would say that people are nervous… As soon as there’s anything in the water … people will phone, ask questions and then decide what they want to do from there,” said Ritchot.

The presence of asbestos in local pipes has sparked headlines before. During an unsuccessful mayoral bid last fall, Rana Bokhari promised to test Winnipeg’s drinking water for asbestos, if elected.

She argues the city’s decision to stop testing for asbestos contamination in 1995 amounts to ignoring a potential health hazard.

“We stopped testing altogether. Obviously, for any citizen that should be a red flag,” said Bokhari.

Winnipeg relies on 719 kilometres of asbestos concrete pipes for water, or about 25 per cent of the system. Bokhari fears the aging infrastructure is increasingly at risk of breaking, potentially allowing more asbestos fibres into drinking water.

“Common sense will tell you that if you’re inhaling it and it’s dangerous, (then) if you ingest it, it’s (also) dangerous,” said Bokhari.

She’s urging the federal government to set a maximum limit for asbestos in drinking water and require municipalities to test for it.

However, there’s a lack of consensus on the perceived risk.

According to Health Canada’s website, breathing in asbestos fibres can cause lung cancer, lung scarring and other diseases. However, the agency also concludes “there’s no consistent, convincing evidence that asbestos ingested through drinking water is harmful to your health.”

In an emailed statement, the agency noted its guideline for asbestos in drinking water was set in 1989 but additional data was considered in 2009, 2013 and 2018.

“There is no conclusive evidence that ingested asbestos is hazardous. Therefore, there is no health basis for establishing a maximum acceptable concentration (MAC) for asbestos in drinking water,” wrote spokesman Joshua Coke.

The agency is schedule to reassess the guideline again this year and could consider adding a maximum limit, if one is deemed necessary, Coke added.

During an April 4, 2022 water and waste committee meeting, City of Winnipeg officials noted the municipal government follows Health Canada and provincial requirements. While the United States Environmental Protection Agency does set a maximum limit of seven million fibres per litre for asbestos in drinking water, that only applies to fibres larger than 10 micrometers, noted Cynthia Wiebe, Winnipeg water and waste’s manager of engineering services.

In a written statement Monday, a water and waste spokeswoman said the city tested for asbestos during 11 non-consecutive years between 1981 and 1995.

“Given the lack of evidence of negative outcomes from ingesting asbestos, and the fact that our drinking water always met the United States Environmental Protection Agency, World Health Organization, Health Canada and the Province of Manitoba standards, testing was discontinued,” wrote Lisa Marquardson.

The interior of city pipes is also coated to control lead, which helps prevent asbestos fibres from being released, Marquardson noted.

The city declined to comment on results of CTV’s water tests, noting officials had few details about those findings. The television report did not appear to note the size of the asbestos fibres.

Coun. Brian Mayes, the head of council’s water and waste committee, said there hasn’t been evidence of asbestos posing a health hazard for drinking water so far.

“If you’re allowed seven million of these long fibres in a litre (as a safe level) and we couldn’t find a single one in 11 years of testing, certainly, at that point, there wasn’t a problem,” said Mayes. “Based on the presentation we got (last year), there was no evidence that this had been a problem with Winnipeg’s drinking water.”

The councillor noted the city would test for asbestos again, if the province deemed that necessary.

joyanne.pursaga@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @joyanne_pursaga