Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Tu Nedhe means Great Slave Lake, a great lake. Today, Mr. Speaker, I want to speak about chlorination of drinking water as an accepted form of purifying water in Canada.
However, there may be ways to improve upon this method. It is hard to imagine that when we drink water or go swimming in a chlorinated pool over a long period of time that we might be taking a risk. A by-product of chlorinated water, THMs or trihalomethanes, have been shown to increase the risk of bladder and rectal cancer after long-term consumption. THMs are formed when chlorine reacts with natural organic materials in water. The organic material comes from decaying vegetation, Mr. Speaker.
THMs are believed to be associated with 5,000 new cases of bladder cancer and 8,000 new cases of rectal cancer every year in the United States, Mr. Speaker. Long-term drinking and bathing in chlorinated water likely causes a 34 percent increase in bladder and colon cancer.
The risk increases with the length of exposure and the amount of disinfection by-products in the water. Kidney dialysis patients are told to take special precautions.
Some Canadian municipalities have modified their water treatment practices or are considering it to reduce THM levels. Unfortunately, removing chlorine from drinking water may not necessarily remove the THM either. However, before any changes or improvements are made, each treatment facility must be evaluated. Any new practices cannot compromise the effectiveness of disinfection.
In the Northwest Territories, the amount of chlorine in treated water delivered to people's homes is the same in all communities; it is 0.2 parts per million. Water that is not delivered varies from community to community for chlorine treatment.
Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.