World Health Organization

Asbestos in Water and Asbestos Cement Water Pipes

Asbestos in Water and Asbestos Cement Water Pipes

There are dozens of municipalities across Canada that still use asbestos cement water pipes, servicing homes, businesses and schools. Regina, Saskatchewan has 600 kilometres of asbestos cement water pipes. “These pipes are experiencing more and more failures in recent years and account for almost all of the water main breaks in the city,” reads an NRC report on the matter. The report goes on to refer to asbestos fibres in water as a “health concern.”

What is the Purpose of Drinking Water Quality Guidelines/Regulations?

What is the Purpose of Drinking Water Quality Guidelines/Regulations?

First off, it’s important to understand the discrepancy between the terms “guideline” and “regulation”, as this difference is critically important. The term guideline, can be defined as follows: “a line by which one is guided: an indication or outline of policy or conduct” (MerriamWebster, 2008). Meaning, a guideline is often a benchmark that should be followed, but technically, isn’t lawfully required to be followed.