Asbestos – The Hidden Danger in Argentina’s Drinking Water

Until recently, asbestos, known as amianto in Argentina, was used to insulate the water tanks found commonly on top of Argentine homes. In the U.S., Asbestos levels in the water supply are constantly monitored by the water department. I wasn't able to verify whether Argentina's water department checks for asbestos in their water supply, but I hope they do. Most people I asked (even doctors) were ignorant of what asbestos/amianto was or the threat that it represented. 

Regardless, the water tanks can pollute the water with asbestos fibers and lead, even if the city's water supply isn't contaminated.

Old water tanks that use Asbestos/Amianto and lead pipes

Asbestos isn't the only health hazard that these tanks possess. The pipes used to carry water into a home contain lead. Over time, this can accumulate in a person's bloodstream and become totally toxic. 

The odd thing is that asbestos is a mineral found everywhere on Earth. There's no way to escape from it. It's in our air, our food and soil. The biggest health threat comes from inhaling large concentrations of asbestos over time. Obviously, there isn't much danger of this happening from inhalation, but there are case studies that suggest that asbestos fibers in the water supply might increase the risk of cancer in the digestive system. This is a huge red flag for my husband because his family has a history of cancer. In fact, his dad died of pancreatic cancer in 2008. One of the reasons we moved to Argentina was for the free healthcare. If the hubs gets sick, I want to give him a 51/49 chance without worrying about health insurance like his dad did. However, I'd like to help him avoid anything that may trigger any potential dormant cancer cells, too. So, you can see why I'd be concerned about asbestos in our water tank.

Regardless of whether the health risk is minimal or not, there's no reason why anyone should risk their lives by ingesting Asbestos or lead.

So, if you're living in Argentina and you have one of these old water tanks, replace it! I chose the brand TINACOS for my new water tank, but there are other brands you can choose from. You just have to do some research. 

Modern asbestos free water tank

A new tank will run you about 500 pesos (about a 100 U.S. dollars as of 2013) and another 500 pesos to have it installed. I also recommend that you have the pipes connected to the water tank purged every twelve months. You'd be surprised how many contaminants build up in one year.