Can I inhale asbestos from tap water?
Under certain conditions, water intended for human consumption can be aerosolised (air from showers, etc.) and inhaled in very small quantities. As the asbestos fibre content in the tap water is zero or particularly low, the amount of asbestos fibre inhaled would be minuscule.
Am I taking a risk by ingesting asbestos? Do we risk the same effects as when we inhale asbestos?
While the risk of asbestos inhalation has been clearly identified for decades, the same cannot be said for asbestos ingestion, for which the risk is not yet known. To date, there are no European standards or Walloon legislation on the subject, which is explained by the reassuring conclusions of scientific studies and the World Health Organization (WHO).
Do asbestos cement pipes pose a health risk?
According to current scientific knowledge, the levels of asbestos fibres found in water do not constitute a health hazard. In Europe and in Wallonia, there is no health standard for asbestos fibres. The US has set a health standard of 7,000,000 fibres per litre. This content has never been found in our analyses.
Can roof, cistern or well water contain asbestos?
Water that comes into direct contact with asbestos cement materials could, under certain conditions, contain asbestos fibres. For example, if the asbestos cement material is friable (degraded by temperature variations between winter and summer) and the water that comes into contact with it has aggressive properties (which is characteristic of rainwater), then it is possible for the water collected to contain asbestos fibres.
The risk of harvested rainwater containing asbestos is therefore much higher than that for tap water.
Can tap water contain asbestos?
Rarely and in very small quantities.
90% of the pipes in our network are not made of asbestos cement but of other materials (steel, ductile iron, grey iron, PVC, polyethylene, etc.).
When water flows through an asbestos cement pipe, it is possible, under very specific conditions, for asbestos fibres to be released into the water, but these are minute quantities.
Does SWDE test for asbestos in all municipalities?
There are municipalities where there are no asbestos cement pipes. It is therefore unnecessary to carry out special tests. We carry out water quality control in municipalities with asbestos cement in the network.
Are customers in the vicinity of an asbestos site warned?
The measures taken on the sites to avoid the projection of asbestos fibres into the surrounding air, such as the use of slow saws and spraying continuously with water during cutting, as well as the location in a trench, sheltered from the wind, do not require the local residents to be informed.
On the other hand, sites of this type must be notified to the Regional Directorate for Workplace Welfare Control (FPS Employment, Labour and Social Dialogue) in order to check that the legislation and, in particular, the worker protection measures are respected and correctly implemented.
Does SWDE take the opportunity to replace asbestos cement pipes on roadworks carried out by other road or network managers?
Yes, we systematically review every appropriate opportunity that arises to renew our pipes. The choice is made on the basis of a multi-criteria tool that allows the decision to be made objectively, regardless of the pipe material. Particular attention is paid to construction sites where the nature of the work could weaken the asbestos cement pipes.
Won't the wear and tear of the asbestos cement pipes cause even more asbestos to be released into the water?
With our analysis campaigns, we monitor changes to our asbestos cement pipe network. If abnormal wear and tear of our pipes were to endanger the health safety of our customers, we would make every effort to renew them as a matter of priority.
Where are asbestos cement pipes laid?
The distribution of this type of pipeline in Wallonia is not consistent. Some municipalities have a network composed of a double-digit percentage asbestos cement pipes, others have none at all. We know the location, nature (material) and other characteristics such as diameter, date of laying, etc. of all the pipes in our networks, including those made of asbestos cement.
Where does asbestos waste from asbestos cement pipe replacement sites go?
The disposal of waste materials containing asbestos is subject to legislation that is reflected in the operating procedures applied within SWDE. From the start of the work, the waste is packaged in specific containers with the personal protective equipment used by the personnel. They are collected by an approved firm for disposal in centres that are themselves approved for this type of waste.
Why have all these pipes not already been systematically replaced? Why not draw up a specific plan for the urgent replacement of asbestos cement pipes? What is your plan to replace these pipes in the coming years?
There is no need to plan a systematic replacement of asbestos cement pipes as no scientific study has been able to demonstrate that oral ingestion of asbestos fibres in drinking water would have an impact on health, a conclusion which is confirmed by the World Health Organization (WHO).
In general, asbestos cement is insensitive to internal corrosion and stray current corrosion.
Our pipe replacement strategy incorporates the asbestos parameter. We use a multi-criteria tool to define renewal priorities, taking into account the nature of the pipes and their age. We invest €100 million each year in the renewal of our infrastructure, of which more than €60 million is spent on pipes.
Why not disclose the streets where these pipes are located?
The exact mapping of the pipelines is not provided for reasons of network integrity and public safety. Neither a diagram nor a list of streets is representative of a risk related to water quality as it flows through the pipes, since, for example, there may be pipes constructed of different materials in the same street.
Why not have more regular analyses of the presence or absence of asbestos?
Asbestos in water is not a standard parameter. There is therefore no defined testing frequency. However, we do carry out our own analysis campaigns at relevant points in our network to monitor changes to our network.
Why is it that asbestos fibres can sometimes be detected when sampling fire hydrants, but not at customers' taps?
Hydrants are special elements of the network. Their location in the branch of the pipe and their configuration mean that they are like small "dead ends" of stagnant water where fibres can become trapped and be released when the network is purged.
Why are there asbestos cement pipes?
In the aftermath of the Second World War, the demand for building materials was enormous and many small and medium-sized municipalities were equipped with a drinking water network. Asbestos cement pipes produced in Belgium were an innovative alternative to the much sought-after materials steel and grey cast iron. In addition to being lighter than metal pipes, asbestos cement pipes had useful characteristics in terms of compressive strength, tensile strength and bending strength, as well as an absence of internal corrosion which, with metal pipes, can cause coloured water over time.
No more asbestos cement pipes have been laid since the late 1970s.
What is the treatment to remove asbestos from water?
The asbestos fibre content in the water supply is zero or very low. It is therefore not necessary to treat the water to remove the asbestos.
What information will you be providing? Will you publish your new analyses?
In December 2022, SWDE took tap samples from residents in Frasnes-Lez-Anvaing and Wanze. The analyzes did not reveal the presence of any trace of asbestos fibers.
In March 2022, SWDE conducted an asbestos analysis campaign on its distribution network. Sampling was carried out at residents' taps, at the same locations as the previous campaign in 2018, and where the greatest number of asbestos cement pipes remain. The municipalities concerned are:
Bernissart - Bertogne - Brunehaut - Braine-l'Alleud - Burdinne - Couvin - Doische - Ecaussinnes - Ellezelles - Estinnes - Frasnes-lez-Anvaing - Les Bons Villers - Mons - Namur - Péruwelz - Ramillies - Seneffe - Soignies - Viroinval - Wanze - Waremme
The municipal authorities are informed of the results as they are received.
With three exceptions, no traces of asbestos fibres were detected in the 70 samples taken and analysed by an independent laboratory. Micro-traces were detected in Couvin and Doische. New analyses carried out after a purge of the network gave, in turn, 100% negative results. Several of these municipalities wished to carry out additional analyses. None of them revealed the presence of any asbestos.
What measures does SWDE take to deal with asbestos work sites?
We have an aggressive and consistent policy to protect our workers when working with asbestos. We have strict and safe working practices in place when cutting asbestos cement pipes.
Based on internal procedures and operating methods, we provide annual training on asbestos-related risks to our field staff. They all have a manual reminding them of the precautions to be taken with regard to the workers and people living in the immediate vicinity of the site during interventions, as well as a kit of single-use personal protective equipment.
In addition, we also inform our subcontractors through the Health and Safety Prevention Plan (HSPP) attached to the specifications governing the contracts. We also provide training sessions on asbestos risks and precautions.
Finally, our safety department (SIPPT) and our managers carry out site visits throughout the year, during which a predefined list of safety points are checked. The use of the "asbestos kit" is a recurring point in the rating, which is followed as an objective for our intervention teams.
How can it be said that asbestos cement pipes do not cause the presence of asbestos in tap water?
The various analyses that we carry out via an independent laboratory on our customers' taps show that no asbestos fibres have been detected.
In December 2022, SWDE took tap samples from residents in Frasnes-Lez-Anvaing and Wanze. The analyzes did not reveal the presence of any trace of asbestos fibers.
In March 2022, SWDE conducted an asbestos analysis campaign on its distribution network. Sampling was carried out at residents' taps, at the same locations as the previous campaign in 2018, and where the greatest number of asbestos cement pipes remain. The municipalities concerned are:
Bernissart - Bertogne - Brunehaut - Braine-l'Alleud - Burdinne - Couvin - Doische - Ecaussinnes - Ellezelles - Estinnes - Frasnes-lez-Anvaing - Les Bons Villers - Mons - Namur - Péruwelz - Ramillies - Seneffe - Soignies - Viroinval - Wanze - Waremme
The municipal authorities are informed of the results as they are received.
With three exceptions, no traces of asbestos fibres were detected in the 70 samples taken and analysed by an independent laboratory. Micro-traces were detected in Couvin and Doische. New analyses carried out after a purge of the network gave, in turn, 100% negative results. Several of these municipalities wished to carry out additional analyses. None of them revealed the presence of any asbestos.
Are asbestos cement pipes dangerous to health?
Asbestos is dangerous by inhalation, not because it is toxic, but because some fibres can settle in the lungs and damage the tissue there. This also poses a risk for our workers, who must take appropriate protective measures when working on asbestos cement pipes.