Asbestos in Old Water Pipes Raises Concern for Carlsbad Condo Project

Carlsbad’s Planning Commission has approved 12 condominiums for a Jefferson Street lot occupied by one single-family home, despite concerns about hooking up to the city’s old water pipes made with asbestos.

Asbestos, a known carcinogen, was widely used to reinforce concrete water and sewer pipes from the 1930s through the 1970s, including the pipes in Carlsbad’s downtown water supply system. The pipes generally are considered safe unless broken or damaged to release the asbestos.