'We have to find a solution': W5 investigation explores risk of asbestos cement pipes in Regina
Over 500 kilometres of asbestos cement pipes run through Regina’s water utility system, according to findings from a W5 investigation.
Due to their supposed durability and low cost, over two million kilometres of asbestos cement pipes could be found around the world at one point, with Canada being no exception.
Asbestos was once considered a miracle mineral, being used in thousands of products for its insulating and fireproofing properties.
However, in the 1960’s, Dr. Irving Selikoff discovered that asbestos particles were poisonous when inhaled and linked the mineral to the respiratory illnesses of millions of asbestos workers.
Now, a different kind of concern surrounds the use of asbestos.
“As these pipes start to age, as this infrastructure starts to go, they tend to fail catastrophically,” W5 correspondent Eric Szeto told CTV Regina Morning Live.
“There’s concern that these fibres go off, break off these pipes, and end up going into your taps, and you end up drinking it.”
The science isn’t as clear about what happens if you ingest or drink asbestos particles.
Regardless, leading experts in the field are still worried.
“We are constantly getting more and more evidence. Some of it going back 50 years, but more and more evidence that it can cause gastrointestinal tract cancers,” Arthur Frank, a physician and professor of public health at Drexel University told CTV News.
Due to ground shifting, the Queen City is plagued with frequent breaks in its water lines.
Julian Branch, an activist and former journalist who lives in Regina, says there needs to be more awareness and more action from all levels of government on the issue.
“The asbestos is going into the water and according to our federal government, according to federal studies, it's causing a health concern,” Branch said.
“Canadians should be very concerned about their drinking water.”
As part of its investigation, W5 contacted 100 communities across Canada. Ninety nine per cent of those communities that responded still used asbestos in their piping.
The European Union no longer wants asbestos cement pipes delivering water, with the organization advocating for their removal.
Meanwhile in Canada, there has been little push to do this federally.
Health Canada maintains there is no consistent evidence drinking or ingesting asbestos is harmful.
That stance has led to there to be no maximum limit to asbestos in water, and no maximum means there is no need for testing.
Branch believes that there is a “complete and utter lack of political accountability” on the issue.
“It’s up to the politicians today to find a solution. We can't just keep pretending it's not there,” he said.
“We have to find a solution to this before it's too late."
For the results and the full story, ‘Something in the Water’ is available on the CTV News website.
With files from CTV’s Eric Szeto and CTV Regina Morning Live
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.
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.
'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.
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.
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.
Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter banned from NBA
Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter has been handed a lifetime ban from The National Basketball Association (NBA) following an investigation which found he disclosed confidential information to sports bettors, the league says.
Attempt to have murder charge quashed against alleged serial killer dismissed by judge
A motion filed by the man accused of killing four Indigenous women in Winnipeg to have one of those murder charges quashed has been dismissed by the judge – weeks before the start of his trial.