{"id":25327,"date":"2021-05-06T06:47:00","date_gmt":"2021-05-06T06:47:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/?p=25327"},"modified":"2021-05-08T12:34:39","modified_gmt":"2021-05-08T12:34:39","slug":"wildfires-are-contaminating-drinking-water-systems-and-its-more-widespread-than-people-realize","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/wildfires-are-contaminating-drinking-water-systems-and-its-more-widespread-than-people-realize\/","title":{"rendered":"Wildfires are contaminating drinking water systems, and it’s more widespread than people realize"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Andrew J. Whelton<\/a>, Purdue University<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

More than 58,000<\/a> fires scorched the United States last year, and 2021 is on track to be even drier<\/a>. What many people don\u2019t realize is that these wildfires can do lasting damage beyond the reach of the flames \u2013 they can contaminate entire drinking water systems with carcinogens that last for months after the blaze. That water flows to homes, contaminating the plumbing, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Over the past four years, wildfires have contaminated drinking water distribution networks and building plumbing for more than 240,000 people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Small water systems serving housing developments, mobile home parks, businesses and small towns have been particularly hard-hit. Most didn\u2019t realize their water was unsafe until weeks to months after the fire.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The problem starts when wildfire smoke gets into the system or plastic in water systems heats up<\/a>. Heating can cause plastics to release harmful chemicals, like benzene, which can contaminate drinking water and permeate the system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As an environmental engineer<\/a>, I and my colleagues work with communities recovering from wildfires and other natural disasters. Last year, at least seven water systems were found to be contaminated, suggesting drinking water contamination may be a more widespread problem than people realize.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our new study<\/a> identifies critical issues that households and businesses should consider after a wildfire. Failing to address them can harm people\u2019s health \u2013 mental, physical and financial.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wildfires make drinking water unsafe<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

When wildfires damage<\/a> water distribution pipes, wells and the plumbing in homes and other buildings, they can create immediate health risks. A building\u2019s plumbing can become contaminated by smoke getting sucked into water systems, by heat damaging plastic pipes<\/a> \u2013 or contamination penetrating into the plumbing and leaching out slowly over time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since 2017, multiple fires have rendered drinking water systems unsafe, including the<\/a> Echo<\/a> Mountain<\/a>, Lionshead<\/a> and Almeda<\/a> fires in Oregon, and the CZU<\/a> Lightning<\/a> Complex<\/a>, Camp<\/a> and Tubbs<\/a> fires in California. Thousands of private wells<\/a> have been affected too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Being exposed to contaminated water can cause immediate harm, such as headaches, nausea, dizziness and vomiting. Short-term exposure to 26 parts per billion or more of benzene<\/a>, a carcinogen, may cause a decrease in white blood cells that protect the body from infectious disease. Multiple fires have caused drinking water to exceed this level. A variety<\/a> of other chemicals can exceed safe drinking water exposure limits too in the absence of benzene.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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