3 Common Ways that Asbestos Enters the Water Supply

Posted by etrlabs on March 13th, 2020

The dangers of asbestos are well-documented; its fibers have long been considered carcinogenic and a common cause of many lung ailments. For decades, asbestos was a common material in construction and industry thanks to its heat-resistant and flame-resistant qualities. However, use of asbestos came at a high cost, as a generation of people found themselves victims of a long list of health ramifications through repeated exposure to the substance.

Many people know about the dangers of airborne asbestos filaments, but the same material can be dangerous if it ends up in the water supply as well. Asbestos is known to cause mesothelioma when inhaled, but it can also cause a condition known as peritoneal mesothelioma that can be life-threatening. Asbestos water testing is a wise measure to undertake if you fear that your water supply has been exposed to asbestos. Read on to learn some of the ways that asbestos can enter the water supply.

Outdated Pipes

Before 1980, asbestos cement was commonly used in pipe manufacturing, and those pipes were sometimes used for water. While the asbestos in these pipes is likely not a danger if the pipes were well maintained and protected from external forces like seismic activity, if there was any cause for the pipe to corrode, crack, or rupture, your water supply could be compromised. Many who have asbestos cement pipes may not even know it, so water testing is a simple and effective way to determine if these dangerous infrastructure elements could be placing health in jeopardy.

Natural Asbestos Deposits

Asbestos is a naturally occurring material that can be found throughout the Earth’s crust in varying amounts. However, if those deposits are disturbed by flooding, seismic activity, or erosion, then asbestos fibers could break free and follow streams and tributaries to drinking water sources. Once there, they can easily enter the water supply and pose a significant risk for contamination. That’s why it’s not only important for individual residences to undergo asbestos water testing but for municipal drinking water sources to be routinely tested as well.

Asbestos Debris

Once asbestos was identified as a cause of a range of health conditions, steps were taken to remove it from existing structures and limit its use in new construction. However, removal of asbestos building materials resulted in tons of asbestos debris featuring loose fibers that could easily migrate from containment and into the water supply. Anytime that asbestos becomes particulate, it can travel via air or water runoff and enter the water supply.

Asbestos is a significant threat not only when inhaled, but when ingested through the water supply. That’s one reason that asbestos water testing is a good idea to limit exposure to this dangerous substance.