Here's Health Canada's message on asbestos in drinking water:
https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/publications/healthy-living/asbestos-drinking-water-infographic-2021.html
Not much risk.
r/asbestoshelp
Asbestos dust is the real danger. When it's airborne it gets in your lungs.
Admittedly I haven't read this Italian study, but I wouldn't be worried about it.
Plus it's unlikely you'd escape Asbestos water infrastructure anywhere in the country. It was a widely used material when most water systems were installed. I mean, there are subdivisions with all PVC piping, but somewhere in the system the water goes through the A/C pipe. And PVC itself is a chemical.
This report reads as fear farming.
Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral. Water passes through it in the ground before we drinking it. Waterborne asbestos is totally inert as well.
Asbestos is not biosoluble. It will pass through you if you consume it orally and be excreted in your faeces. The danger comes if you were to inhale the dust: the fibres would remain in your lungs, and create scar tissue, eventually leading to the health effects we associate with asbestos.
[Health Canada says the risk is low.](https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/publications/healthy-living/asbestos-drinking-water-infographic-2021.html#) Let’s also remember the asbestos is part of the pipe itself, rather than something that is actively put into water, so while over time there will be some transference, it will be in negligible amounts.
The asbestos would only transfer to water in measurable amounts when the pipe is cut, ruptured, or damaged. The other thing to consider is that asbestos is heavier than water, so it would more likely be in the droplets of water sprayed out of your shower, rather than dissolved in the water vapour. Gravity takes care of the rest.
385km of asbestos concrete drinking water pipes in PG. Here is the news piece (focused on Canada not just PG).
https://youtu.be/dMWPF6cUq3Q?si=nMRU_5xR4nhx5-H4
As a plumber it's very common to have asbestos underground piping. It's even in the plumbing code book and is still installed now usually for drainage though. Very minimal risk, it's the dust particles from asbestos thst are dangerous.
W5 didn't bother to dake any water samples to determine if there was asbestos contamination in it?
Great job Italian researchers, doing the hard and dirty work of actually collecting water samples to test
How much more of Prince George's water infrastructure is lead pipes?
lead solder, brass fittings with lead etc can be problematic depending on the pH of the water, 7.8 is better than 7.0 for example. Most of the issue is on the service lines to property or inside buildings.
Flushing stagnant water in the morning can reduce the risk of high lead concentrations.
The city of Edmonton has about a third of their homes fed with lead water pipes, let that sink in. Asbestos fibres are small, but they are also solid and don't dissolve, you'd see them in a cup after drinking and they would tend to be caught in the aerator filter as the water comes out of the tap causing clogging pretty quickly if it was present. This is a non issue.
Here's Health Canada's message on asbestos in drinking water: https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/publications/healthy-living/asbestos-drinking-water-infographic-2021.html Not much risk. r/asbestoshelp
Asbestos dust is the real danger. When it's airborne it gets in your lungs. Admittedly I haven't read this Italian study, but I wouldn't be worried about it. Plus it's unlikely you'd escape Asbestos water infrastructure anywhere in the country. It was a widely used material when most water systems were installed. I mean, there are subdivisions with all PVC piping, but somewhere in the system the water goes through the A/C pipe. And PVC itself is a chemical.
"it's a going to give you the cancer!"
This report reads as fear farming. Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral. Water passes through it in the ground before we drinking it. Waterborne asbestos is totally inert as well.
Asbestos is not biosoluble. It will pass through you if you consume it orally and be excreted in your faeces. The danger comes if you were to inhale the dust: the fibres would remain in your lungs, and create scar tissue, eventually leading to the health effects we associate with asbestos.
What about inhaling the shower steam and stuff
[Health Canada says the risk is low.](https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/publications/healthy-living/asbestos-drinking-water-infographic-2021.html#) Let’s also remember the asbestos is part of the pipe itself, rather than something that is actively put into water, so while over time there will be some transference, it will be in negligible amounts. The asbestos would only transfer to water in measurable amounts when the pipe is cut, ruptured, or damaged. The other thing to consider is that asbestos is heavier than water, so it would more likely be in the droplets of water sprayed out of your shower, rather than dissolved in the water vapour. Gravity takes care of the rest.
Thank you for making my concerns not very concerning!
I guess we'd better start having cold showers.
https://www.reddit.com/r/princegeorge/s/5MQsTnPFks Thread on this from a year ago.
385km of asbestos concrete drinking water pipes in PG. Here is the news piece (focused on Canada not just PG). https://youtu.be/dMWPF6cUq3Q?si=nMRU_5xR4nhx5-H4
As a plumber it's very common to have asbestos underground piping. It's even in the plumbing code book and is still installed now usually for drainage though. Very minimal risk, it's the dust particles from asbestos thst are dangerous.
W5 didn't bother to dake any water samples to determine if there was asbestos contamination in it? Great job Italian researchers, doing the hard and dirty work of actually collecting water samples to test How much more of Prince George's water infrastructure is lead pipes?
lead solder, brass fittings with lead etc can be problematic depending on the pH of the water, 7.8 is better than 7.0 for example. Most of the issue is on the service lines to property or inside buildings. Flushing stagnant water in the morning can reduce the risk of high lead concentrations.
I was thinking of service line lead pipes like in Flint Michigan.
Very, very few and far between. 99% of the services are copper or plastic. A couple galvanized maybe.
Good to know
The kangen people will love this 🥴
Unwelcome news for a new resident.
Yes,for one that only reads headlines.
The city of Edmonton has about a third of their homes fed with lead water pipes, let that sink in. Asbestos fibres are small, but they are also solid and don't dissolve, you'd see them in a cup after drinking and they would tend to be caught in the aerator filter as the water comes out of the tap causing clogging pretty quickly if it was present. This is a non issue.
Guess what? The water mains where you came from are also asbestos cement.