“We want to ensure that at various points throughout the city that we are getting an accurate and reflective sample across the city,” says Patrick Bohan, director of city possessions energy and facilities.
Asbestos-cement piping was set up in Medicine Hat in between the 1960s and 1980s and represent approximately 30 percent of pipelines that provide water to houses, or approximately 134 kilometres of pipeline.
Currently, Health Canada does not need towns to test drinking water for asbestos fibers nor do they have any requirements for appropriate levels in drinking water.
The city will utilize the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s suggestion of less than 7 million particles of asbestos fibers per litre of water for safe intake.
“Community confidence in our water supply is super critical to us. We have about 65 people in our department that strictly work on water quality and they do everything from testing to ensuring that the water is of the best quality,” says Bohan.
Councillors have actually been hearing issues from homeowners who would like to know if the city’s drinking water is safe. Coun. Alison Van Dyke says the city has actually taken the concern seriously by being among the only towns to begin screening our drinking water.
“I think it will be reassuring to people. We don’t really have anything to compare to because like I said I don’t think any other municipalities are doing this kind of testing right now. It’s not required and there’s no place within Canada that does it so I think it will be informative to other communities as well because we are not the only ones who have asbestos-cement piping,” says Van Dyke.
In Canada, there isn’t anywhere to test water for Asbestos fibers so the city will deliver our water samples to Ohio for screening.
Once the test outcomes remain in, the outcomes will be provided to the general public. At that time the city will examine whether they will continue evaluating the water for asbestos. Testing might take numerous weeks to finish.
Still, the city is set on reviving its outside water bottle-filling stations this summer season.
Ten water bottle-filling stations will be on fire hydrates in high-use places throughout the neighborhood.
The places have actually not been settled however the city is aiming to alter a few of the places from in 2015.
The water originating from the fire hydrants is the very same cured water that is provided to houses and businesses throughout Medicine Hat.
