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PLUMBING CONNECTION
AUTUMN 2016 15
ASBESTOS PIPE REMOVAL
Water consumers will face a hefty
estimated charge of $8 billion to
safely remove asbestos piping being
used in Australia, according to the
nation’s peak water industry body.
About 40,000 kilometres of water
pipelines contain asbestos cement
that is starting to wear out, the body
said.
It is not widely realised that many
of Australia’s water pipes were made
by Australia’s biggest asbestos
manufacturer, James Hardie.
“Hardies had a number of
factories around the country that
just made pipes and they were
predominantly used by the different
water companies around Australia,”
said lawyer Tanya Segelov, who is
a member of the council for the
Asbestos Safety and Eradication
Agency.
“There are millions and millions of
pipes around the country that remain
in the ground that are now 50, 60 or
70 years old.
“So water utilities are monitoring
how those pipes are working,
how they are holding up,” the
association’s managing director
Adam Lovell said.
The pipes are located all over
Australia but they are most
concentrated in regional areas,
where sometimes up to half of
all water pipelines are made with
asbestos cement.
There is no evidence the pipes
can cause cancer by drinking water
from them, but there is a potential
danger from dust when the pipes are
disturbed.
To fix worn-out pipes is a major
expense.
“We estimate that just to
rehabilitate all of the asbestos
cement pipelines out there is in the
order of $8 billion,” Mr Lovell said.
“You don’t necessarily want to go
rushing out and replace it all, either.
“The current standard practice,
the safest practice, is to remove
sections of the pipeline… rather than
trying to repair it on site.”
This piece was originally published at
www.thenewdaily.com.au.
CELEBRATING 40 YEARS
REHAU is proudly celebrating 40
years of business in Australia and
saying ‘Thank You’ to its loyal
customers, partners and supporters!
Since 1976 REHAU has been
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Construction Industry. From
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Even after 40 years nothing has
changed when it comes to REHAU’s
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customers, sustainable growth,
independence, the passion of
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awareness. REHAU has supported
the development of the industry for
generations, and will continue to do
so for generations to come.
“Every Day we redefine the
boundaries of what is possible with
polymer based solutions” Mr Jobst
Wagner, President of the REHAU
Group.
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