Concentration and size of asbestos in water supplies

A review of the results of over 1500 asbestos analyses from U.S. water supplies suggests that the majority of water consumers are not exposed to asbestos concentrations in their drinking water over 1 x 10(6) fibers per liter. There are, however, some populations that are exposed to waterborne asbestos concentrations over 10 x 10(6) fibers per liter caused by natural erosion, mine processing wastes, waste pile erosion, corrosion of asbestos cement pipe, or disintegration of asbestos tile roofs running into cisterns. The distribution of fiber sizes in the water is dependent on the source of the fibers. The average length of chrysotile fibers found in an asbestos cement distribution system was 4 micrometers, while the average fiber length of chrysotile fibers contributed to a water supply by natural erosion was 1 micrometer.