Asbestos-Containing Water Pipe Concerns Reach San Diego
Asbestos-containing cement pipes help move drinking water through San Diego, California’s second-largest city. Over the past ten years, they’ve been the sites of 440 water main breaks, potentially exposing repair workers and city citizens to cancer-causing asbestos fibers, according to KGTV.
The TV station reports that the pipes were installed after World War II through the mid-1980s. Decades later, they are wearing out, cracking, and failing as they reach the end of their expected lifespan. The potential dangers of asbestos leaching out of water pipes are a global problem.
Cancer-Causing Fibers Present Public Health Threat
Dr. Arthur Frank, a professor of medicine and a public health expert at Drexel University in Philadelphia, warns that asbestos fibers can be released from these pipes into drinking water when they break and come apart. Frank has researched asbestos since 1968.
He warns that asbestos fibers in the water could end up in the esophagus, kidneys, and colorectal tissue. The World Health Organization states that several studies in the US and Canada have suggested a connection between stomach cancer and tap water from asbestos pipes. An Italian study published in 2017 states that asbestos-contaminated water could be linked to gastrointestinal cancers.
Dr. Lauren Teras, the American Cancer Society’s Senior Director of Epidemiology Research, told the station it’s uncertain that swallowing asbestos fibers in drinking water will cause cancer. Because many things can start cancer, she states, ideally, researchers could collect blood from residents exposed to this water and monitor their health for at least 20 years to find out.
Frank says water filters may trap asbestos fibers in water, preventing people from drinking them.
San Diego has Replaced a Fraction of All Its Asbestos-Containing Water Pipes
Documents obtained by the station show that from 2020 to 2024, San Diego tested reservoirs nine times for asbestos at wells, reservoirs, and a water reclamation plant. A trace amount of asbestos was discovered in 2021 in one reservoir sample. No tests were done of water passing through asbestos-containing pipes.
The city’s public utilities department states that about 15% of North American water mains are made of asbestos. The department told the station it complies with state and federal clean water regulations but doesn’t test water in schools, businesses, or homes.
Ten years ago, a grand jury investigating water main breaks warned the city it needed to “aggressively” replace asbestos pipes. Since 2016, San Diego has replaced 144 miles of the pipe, with about 1,980 miles left. The city estimates replacing a mile of asbestos-containing water pipes costs about five to six million dollars.
Need Help With A Lawsuit?
If you have an asbestos-related condition, Satterley & Kelley, PLLC, may help you obtain compensation for what you’ve been through. Call us toll-free at 855-385-9532 today, or contact us online to schedule a free consultation with one of our lawyers.