'Canadians should be very concerned about their drinking water': W5 investigates asbestos cement pipes
Did you know there are asbestos cement pipes underground across Canada? I didn’t until I started researching this story. I actually had no idea what asbestos cement pipes were. All I knew was that asbestos fibres can be deadly, especially if inhaled.
So it was to my surprise when I learned that these pipes, installed decades ago and all nearing end-of-life, were still not only in use but were also delivering tap water to Canadians. And as these pipes deteriorate and fail — they leach asbestos into the water.
This came as a complete shock for Michael Abercrombie — a plumber who used to work with asbestos cement pipes in the ‘70s and ‘80s. And at the time he used these pipes only for sewers and storm drains around Collingwood, Ont. — never for drinking water.
- Read further for interactive map and chart of 85 Canadian communities that use asbestos cement pipes
"That seems unbelievable to me," he said after I told him they were and still are used to deliver tap water.
"The potential for it to come off that pipe… and then drink it," he said. "Why would you take that chance?"
You have to understand, Abercrombie recently had one of his lungs removed after he was diagnosed with mesothelioma. All those years of working with asbestos, he believes, took a treacherous toll. He’s well aware of the dangers of inhaling asbestos.
Michael Abercrombie used to work with and install asbestos cement pipes around Collingwood, Ont. for sewer and storm drains decades ago. He's shocked those pipes were ever used to deliver drinking water. (Kirk Neff/W5 photo credit)
The science, however, on ingesting or drinking water with asbestos is still hotly contested. But there is a growing body of research that suggests ingesting these fibres could elevate the risk of stomach and other gastrointestinal-related cancers.
Agostino Di Ciaula, a medical doctor and researcher in the department of Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology at Bari Poly Clinic in Italy, has published papers that suggest possible links between drinking water containing asbestos and gastro-intestinal cancers.
But he believes until there’s more data, as a precautionary measure, human exposure to asbestos in drinking water should be eliminated.
"Asbestos fibres should be absent in drinking water," he said. "If a pipe is responsible for the delivery of asbestos fibres in water, the pipe should be replaced as soon as possible. A small concentration may represent a chronic exposure to a well-known toxic agent."
ROUGHLY 90% OF RESPONDENTS HAVE ASBESTOS PIPES
W5 spent several months trying to get to the bottom of two things: Where are these pipes, and is there asbestos in Canada’s water?
To answer the first question, W5 reached out and asked over 100 towns, districts and municipalities what types of pipes were in use, and whether there were maps of these networks.
Roughly 90 per cent of the places that responded still used asbestos cement pipes.
Thousands of kilometres are still underground.
We put all that information into an interactive map and chart so you can see if these pipes are in your community. (There are likely many more communities with asbestos cement pipes.)
- Map and chart created by Jesse Tahirali. Can't see the map and chart above? Click here
Unlike the European Union, which wants its member states to create a comprehensive plan to remove these pipes, we found there was little to no federal push for that here.
A spokesperson from the Ministry of Intergovernmental Affairs, Infrastructure and Communities said in an email it was up to provinces, municipalities and Indigenous communities how it prioritized spending on water infrastructure projects.
NO LIMITS ON ASBESTOS IN DRINKING WATER
Health Canada maintains there is no consistent evidence drinking or ingesting asbestos is harmful so there is currently no maximum limit that can be in Canadian water.
And with no maximum limit, the agency said, there was no need for testing. That’s likely why very few communities in Canada currently test for asbestos in water.
Julian Branch, a former journalist who is now an activist, has been trying to alert all levels of government about this problem for years, and says there’s a "complete and utter lack of political accountability."
The Regina resident doesn’t understand why there isn’t wide-spread testing and more urgency on the issue.
"Until asbestos is regulated in Canadian water, Canadians should be very concerned about their drinking water," Branch said. "But it’s up to the politicians today to find a solution. We can't just keep pretending it's not there. We have to find a solution to this before it's too late."
Maximum limit or not, it still had us wondering whether there was asbestos in Canada’s drinking water. So we got samples from two cities and sent them for testing.
To find out the results, watch "Something in the Water" in our video player above or on our YouTube channel.
With files from Kathlene Calahan, Riley Nimens, Molly Thomas and Tainted Water Investigative Consortium
Correction
The map has been updated to correct the location of Millstream, a community located approximately 3.5 km north of the District of Ucluelet in B.C.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'They needed people inside Air Canada:' Police announce arrests in Pearson gold heist
Police say one former and one current employee of Air Canada are among the nine suspects that are facing charges in connection with the gold heist at Pearson International Airport last year.
House admonishes ArriveCan contractor in rare parliamentary show of power
MPs enacted an extraordinary, rarely used parliamentary power on Wednesday, summonsing an ArriveCan contractor to appear before the House of Commons where he was admonished publicly and forced to provide answers to the questions MPs said he'd previously evaded.
Leafs star Auston Matthews finishes season with 69 goals
Auston Matthews won't be joining the NHL's 70-goal club this season.
Trump lawyers say Stormy Daniels refused subpoena outside a Brooklyn bar, papers left 'at her feet'
Donald Trump's legal team says it tried serving Stormy Daniels a subpoena as she arrived for an event at a bar in Brooklyn last month, but the porn actor, who is expected to be a witness at the former president's criminal trial, refused to take it and walked away.
Why drivers in Eastern Canada could see big gas price spikes, and other Canadians won't
Drivers in Eastern Canada face a big increase in gas prices because of various factors, especially the higher cost of the summer blend, industry analysts say.
Doug Ford calls on Ontario Speaker to reverse Queen's Park keffiyeh ban
Ontario Premier Doug Ford is calling on Speaker Ted Arnott to reverse a ban on keffiyehs at Queen's Park, describing the move as “needlessly” divisive.
'A living nightmare': Winnipeg woman sentenced following campaign of harassment against man after online date
A Winnipeg woman was sentenced to house arrest after a single date with a man she met online culminated in her harassing him for years, and spurred false allegations which resulted in the innocent man being arrested three times.
Woman who pressured boyfriend to kill his ex in 2000s granted absences from prison
A woman who pressured her boyfriend into killing his teenage ex more than a decade ago will be allowed to leave prison for weeks at a time.
Customers disappointed after email listing $60K Tim Hortons prize sent in error
Several Tim Horton’s customers are feeling great disappointment after being told by the company that an email stating they won a boat worth nearly $60,000 was sent in error.
Local Spotlight
Marmot in the city: New resident of North Vancouver's Lower Lonsdale a 'rock star rodent'
When Les Robertson was walking home from the gym in North Vancouver's Lower Lonsdale neighbourhood three weeks ago, he did a double take. Standing near a burrow it had dug in a vacant lot near East 1st Street and St. Georges Avenue was a yellow-bellied marmot.
Relocated seal returns to Greater Victoria after 'astonishing' 204-kilometre trek
A moulting seal who was relocated after drawing daily crowds of onlookers in Greater Victoria has made a surprise return, after what officials described as an 'astonishing' six-day journey.
Ottawa barber shop steps away from Parliament Hill marks 100 years in business
Just steps from Parliament Hill is a barber shop that for the last 100 years has catered to everyone from prime ministers to tourists.
'It was a special game': Edmonton pinball player celebrates high score and shout out from game designer
A high score on a Foo Fighters pinball machine has Edmonton player Dave Formenti on a high.
'How much time do we have?': 'Contamination' in Prairie groundwater identified
A compound used to treat sour gas that's been linked to fertility issues in cattle has been found throughout groundwater in the Prairies, according to a new study.
'Why not do it together?': Lifelong friends take part in 'brosectomy' in Vancouver
While many people choose to keep their medical appointments private, four longtime friends decided to undergo vasectomies as a group in B.C.'s Lower Mainland.
Grain-gobbling bears spark 'no stopping' zone in Banff National Park
A popular highway in Alberta's Banff National Park now has a 'no stopping zone' to help protect two bears.
Deer family appears to accept B.C. man as one of their own
B.C. resident Robert Conrad spent thousands of hours on Crown land developing an unusual bond with deer.
Doorbell video shows family of black bears scared off by dog in Sudbury, Ont.
A Sudbury woman said her husband was bringing the recycling out to the curb Wednesday night when he had to make a 'mad dash' inside after seeing a bear.