Montrose - Daily Press

Matt Hildner

Daily Press Writer

MONTROSE — The successful cleanup of an abandoned and asbestos-lined water main along West Oak Grove Road may soon spur legal action by a local sanitation district.

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On Wednesday the West Montrose Sanitation District wrapped up a $285,000-cleanup of the pipe, which had been abandoned by the Chipeta Water District, and may soon head to court to recoup its costs.

"I've been directed to pursue our legal remedies to recover our costs," said John Brooks, general counsel for the sanitation district, although he declined to identify who the district believed to be liable for the costs.

The need for the cleanup arose in early July when the sanitation district was working on the installation of a new sewer line and struck the abandoned pipe and caused some soil contamination.

"To our knowledge, when we started the project there was no asbestos pipe in the location," Brooks said.

But Chipeta Water District Manager Matt Collier said the asbestos -lined pipe -originally installed in 1964 - was only abandoned a month prior to the start of construction by the sanitation district.

Moreover, Collier said Chipeta had contacted the sanitation district about the location of the pipe.

"They knew what water line they were dealing with," he said. "That line was theirs to do with what they needed to get it out of the way."

Despite any questions over cleanup costs, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment declared earlier this week that there was no ground or air contamination from asbestos at the site near the intersection of the J Drain ditch and West Oak Grove.

Christopher Dan, public information officer for the department's Air Pollution Control Division said the site did not pose a threat to public health.

"Nobody should have any concern about the area where this occurred," he said.

The CDPHE's testing followed an 11-week effort by the sanitation district that included consultation with the state and the hiring of outside specialists to do the cleanup.

"In talking to our inspector he was very complimentary of the way the sanitation district stepped up to the plate," Dan said. "That's something that was not cheap to do."

The use of asbestos in pipes was once common practice because of its strength as a building material.

Collier said Chipeta has not installed any pipe containing asbestos since 1968.

When left undisturbed, asbestos-lined pipes do not pose an immediate hazzard, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. If damaged, however, the asbestos fibers can be released into the air causing respiratory problems or even death to anyone exposed to the substance over a long period of time. The EPA's Web site, however, also states there are no studies available on the short-term effects of asbestos in humans.

Contact Matt Hildner via e-mail at matth@montrosepress.com

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