Asbestos pipe removal at Tuapiro

Men in white overalls wearing face masks and helmets removed sections of asbestos cement water pipe from the Tuapiro Bridge north of Katikati on Wednesday.

Traffic over the bridge was reduced to one lane and signs warning of the asbestos removal were put up during the work.


The crew from Veolia Water NZ handling sections of asbestos cement water pipe removed from the Tuapiro Bridge. Supplied Photo.

The pipe sections were wrapped in plastic and loaded onto a truck for transport to an approved disposal site by the crew from Veolia Water NZ.

Western Bay of Plenty District Council capital projects engineer Graeme Brown says as the New Zealand Transport Authority intends to carry out strengthening work on the bridge, they took the opportunity to replace the pipe.

'The pipe is made of asbestos cement and installed in 1971,” he explains. 'It had been disconnected from the supply line before work began and was not broken during the removal.”

There was no disruption to water supply for resident because a temporary line was installed before the removal began. A new PVC pipe is being installed today to replace the old asbestos one.

The pipeline is used to back-feed water from Athenree to Katikati or in reverse, from Katikati to Athenree as required, taking water from either the Athenree of the Wharawhara bores.

Graeme says council does not use asbestos concrete in its water mains now but people should have no concerns about existing older pipelines. Functioning pipes being used for water do not pose a threat to health.

Asbestos cement pipes were installed for local water supply networks from the 1950s to the 1970s, and manufacturers stopped producing them in the mid-1980s. The pipes' life expectancy is about 50 years so many will be due for replacement.

The World Health Organisation has said swallowing asbestos present in water does not present the same cancer risk as inhaling dry particles.

But asbestos pipes that are cut or broken when dry can pose a health risk if particles are released into the air, which is why the Veolia workmen wore protective gear.

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2 comments

Water Pipe

Posted on 28-07-2016 12:43 | By Crash test dummies

So asbestos is used for water pipes, how interesting? Wonder how the residents feel about drinking asbestos water for the last 45 years?


asbestos

Posted on 28-07-2016 16:37 | By dumbkof2

so another way over the top job curtisy of osh must wear full protection on job but what about the travelling public. they should have been stopped and provided with full protection


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