Document Dv0Jnd3mXdE5VYXQLvb9YgojO
Fioo'ycars Association
Public Affairs Committee c International Affairs Committee
Js.-f-.
----------
y. F. Welch, Director, Public Affairs
Inferno! Correspondence
rJune 29, 1981
T Field Problem - Weston, Wisconsin REF: (1) JFW correspondence, same title, April 27, 1981 ACTION REQUIRED: Review for information
Enclosed is a series of news articles published in The Daily Herald describing the "water problems" attendant to the use of A/C pipe in the City of Weston. The articles were given to AACPP Staff by Attorney Peter Hickey in Crivitz, Wisconsin. Although no date is available, the contents of the articles suggest that they were printed in late 1980. On the whole, the reporter was rather even-handed and factual in his/her handling of the subject.
What is more encouraging about these clippings are the comments of Gary Logsdon (Municipal Environmental Research Laboratory - Cincinnati) that there is no proof that asbestos fibers in drinking water cause cancer or health problems. Logsdon's views are also butressed by those of a local physican, Dr. Edwin Horvath.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to call.
JFW/ajb
cc: A. Kahn, Esq. N. Rahn, Esq. N. Battle
copies to:
Public Affairs Com-iittee
H. Olson I. Adams B. Cook W. Perrell J. Woods J. Baker T. Dougherty D. Stinson W. McCallie B. Collier
HEGA/6 Chrono
International Affairs Committee
R. Dorner E. Van Der Rest B. Giboin R. Hobbs C. Walters A. Saoulis R. Jalan V. Pattabhi H. Hudson C. Barton S. Al-Tarkait E. Costa
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.TR'UPINSKI d Staff opeans began making asbestos-cement
pipes SO years ago. Communities in the i States started using them 40 years ago ,e town of Weston, 10 years ago. e first time Weston used asbestos-cement there were no known asbestos health haz' said Vilas Machmueiier, town chairman, ihmueller, who was a town supervisor the first pipes were laid in 1S68-69, rei that the board then was spilt between asbestos-cement and cast iron pipes. The ?as cheaper, but the second was stronger, apposed it (asbestos-cement pipe) from a anical standpoint," he said. "1 had some
ience with it at the (Rothschild paper) md knew it was mechanically weaker be
at broke. awever, the asbestos-cement pipe was : 20 percent cheaper." ! Town Board initially opted for the cast pipe, Machmueiier said. But shortly after decision, one of the board members ;ed his mind so the town went with ass cement. 1069-70, Weston laid more watermaios and
the dispute flared. About 76,000 separated ds, Machmueiier said, er much debate, the cheaper asbestos cewon again. aerally, asbestos-cement pipe has been
used in that part of the town north of Highway 29. Cast iron pipe, which was installed in later years, was used south or the highway.
The D.C. Everest Second Addition, which is the area south of (he high school, also has some asbestos-cement pipe, according to Machmuei ier.
Water problems
PartlH
Lines from the wells to the towers are cast iron, he said. The biggest main of asbestos-ce ment is the eight-inch pipe on Fox Street. (The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is pro posing taking that segment of pipe out of ser vice so tests studies can be made of it.)
When the pipes were put in place, there were no immediate problems. But as time went on, corrosion occurred.
"Weston has soft water," said Archie Becher, president of Becher-Hoppe Engineers Inc. and a consultant to the town. "Soft water is without large amounts of minerals. Such water acquires minerals from things it comes in contact with."
Among the minerals lacking in Weston's water is calcium. Cement, however, contains calcium.
1I
The water absorbed caicium from thi ment, which in time weakened the cement the asbestos fibers became exposed. Water buiance can now break off the microscop bers. allowing; them to enter the drir water.
Weston's pipes are young, but other cor nities across the country have much pipes. That is aj concern for the EPA, whic lieves that corrosion in the older pipes is i pronounced.
Gary Logsdon of the EPA'-t Cincinnati, < research laboratory said the Pacific North;
the San Francihco area, New England am Southeast, from the Carolines to Florida areas prone to! serious water pipe com
Many communities in those regions also us bestos-cement pjpes.
Communities jin central Wisconsin that used asbestos-cement pipe include, Bowie: entire system), (Shawano (a large portion i
system), Phelps (a large portion) and Criv Marinette County. The condition of their ; is unknown. I
"In Crivitz. the project got a third to done and the whole thing stopped," said Ri Schneider of thq Stevens Point office of F ers Home Administration (FmHA), whic nanced the project. "A customer in the sy
got an injunction against it because be afraid of a possible health hazard." See ASBESTOS, rage 12, Column 8. .
>m Page 1)
iHA finances water projects in small rural communlIt requires those communities to accept the lowest Materials must he approved by the state, but asbesement pipe has been on the approved list,Schneider Because asbestos-cement pipe is one of the least exve pipes, company's using it are often the lowest ss.
meider said most of the FmHA projects in northern onsln now use polyvinylchloride pipes. Only about it
still use asbestos-cement and another 10 percent uctile Iron orcast iron. lyvinylchloride Is a plastic and thus has an oil base, il prices rise, the cost of plastic pipe will rise, pos-
making it less competitive. That could make asis-ccmentagaintheleast expensive pipe, bestos-cement pipes are still being used nationally, don said.
'o hazard has been found with (their) release of (asa) fibers in water, but if we can find an economical to stop the release, we have assured a solution to poal problem down the road." he said, xt: Health and asbestos
CAPCO JEN 0012381
;ood, whtca carries tnem to .. ae gastrointestinal region,
......... ' milUon fibers per
nd that the eating areas for I.lterj'?ve-h"n r*Prted ,er
sbestos workers are con-
?f "W'i** aro TM
aminated with large
*nd.,?v" 100 <
mounts of asbestos, cans-
Iiter ,*" .
.^rect Ingestion ^of the *&** *""> j
Millette said people ex-
nwir-8!
sed to large, amounts of
bestos-cement
isbestos in drinking water ciKlr4^2i?mUnt?e,t^n
ire having their cancer ?.oujh f-arlinjj. Florida,
ates studied.
,1?Vnd P*.n,7lvanla
Preliminary findings in ^ * /J"" asb"^5
,ne' such study in a Califor- ceJif,raUS,vS oI mr< fhan 10
community, which had "' Hon fibers per liter. Mil-
ilgh asbestos counts in its lelte said
mvironment, showed higher "And in top water drawn
-ates of stomach cancer from cisterns using an as*
tmong males and higher bestos-tiie roof for rain col
rates of pancreas cancer in lection, concentrations of
females.
asbestos of more than SOOj
"The study Is not com plete so we do not thor oughly know if the higher
million fibers per liter have been found." ..N.ex.t: O.ther.s being a!
rates are from asbestos or fette'1 by asbestos
some other factor,'.' Millette said.
One problem with such studies is that they take years to complete. The EPA is now looking at cancer rates in the Duluth area. Conclusive results might not be known for Zlto 30 years.
HELKE
EAST CHAPEL
Other studies 'include feeding asbestos .fibers to rats and-htmsterjr PreErnl-
//if zs1
nary findings show no can cer lncrease._ln female hamsters, Milletto said. The tests on the male hamsters and rats are incomplete.
In a paper Issued last year, Millette .and ` another EPA scientist, LeLand J. McCabe, summarized much of the known asbestos-re lated research. Their work showed asbestos can enter water supplies through sev eral sources.
In the Lake Superior area, asbestos-like fibers entered the water of Duluth.. Two Harbors and Beaver Bay, as s a result of iron ore waste discharges made Into the lake.
Midtown
413 Jefftrion St.
Our lOSth'Yeor 1874*1980
In a Kentucky community, an asbestos waste pile was suspected as the source of asbestos entering the water.
"Natural erosion of as bestos-bearing rock forma tions is considered to be the source of fibers in some
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