A recent report by CTV’s W5 found that the City of Regina has 531 kilometres of asbestos cement pipes.
Mayor Sandra Masters said the city would continue to follow Health Canada’s recommendations.
“I think right now we follow Health Canada,” she said. “If Health Canada comes out and changes, I think we methodically continue to replace, reline, and do the work necessary. We have hundreds of kilometres of both led and cement pipes with asbestos fibres in them that we know.”
Health Canada has said there is no evidence drinking or ingesting asbestos harms human health.
Masters said she expects members of city administration to reach out to Health Canada to ensure the city has safe drinking water.
“I think we are going to continue to rely on Health Canada as the experts in this particular circumstance. We do due regular testing, and based upon information, I think the administration will be contacting Health Canada to ensure that our drinking water is safe, but as we understand it, according to current rules, our drinking water is safe.”
She said the city has an infrastructure deficit, so replacing the pipes is an ongoing challenge.
“I don’t think I have been shy of an infrastructure deficit at the City in terms of work being done,” she said. “We need to spend money on infrastructure, and we probably need both levels of government to continue that work.”
Regina’s executive committee will meet on Wednesday, where the Mayor said she expects further discussion.
