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The Los Angeles Wildfires Have Caused Another Problem—Unsafe Drinking Water


Depressurization, another major cause of contamination, occurs when firefighting operations draw excess water from the system for a short period of time. Whelton said: “A water line that connects a house can usually pump out 9 gallons a minute.” Firefighters can draw 500 liters or 1,500 liters of water per minute. So if you were to drive five or six water pumps out of the waterway, you’re looking at thousands of gallons of water being removed from the water in a very short amount of time.

When this happens, the water pressure drops, and the system becomes vulnerable to bacteria or chemicals entering the system from the surrounding area. In general, the high pressure of the water inside the system prevents any external contaminants – such as soil or groundwater – from finding their way inside the components of the system.

Damage to the structure of the fire can also lead to loss of energy, says Whelton. In the case of a large fire such as the Palisades or Eaton fires, you can have a large amount of water flowing out of the system, out of control, due to pipes and other parts of the system that break. Where there is damage, smoke and debris can be carried into the water, while contaminated sewage can enter drinking water pipes that run nearby. “When the water system starts trying to suppress it, it starts pushing the contaminated water through the infrastructure,” says Whelton.

During the Marshall Fire in Louisville, Colorado in 2021, which burned more than 1,000 homes, city officials advised people to use bottled water only for irrigation until extensive testing confirmed safety. Considering that more than 12,000 homes have burned in Los Angeles since Monday morning, the potential for more contamination is significant, Kearns warns.

The coming days and weeks will be very important. After the plumbers assess the damage, they will determine if the system can be properly cleaned or if structural repairs are necessary. If enough are burned, crews will need to replace pumps, pipes, and even tanks. In some areas of Los Angeles County served by LADWP, McCurry estimates that recovery could take anywhere from a few days to weeks.

Altadena and surrounding areas, however, are served by smaller water providers, such as Lincoln Avenue Water Company, Las Flores Water Company, Rubio Canon Land and Water Associationand Kinneloa Irrigation District—all these have given information about Musamwe. “In the case of a large water system like LADWP, you’re going to see things start up pretty quickly,” Kearns says. “For small water providers, who sometimes have a few employees but don’t have the budget for this type of event, they can have some problems.” Santa Cruz faced similar challenges in the CZU Lightning Complex fire in 2020, the water service took months to restore. McCurry warns that some communities may need years to rebuild or rehabilitate large systems that have burned.

It’s important for people to be aware of the recovery process, because warning systems can be difficult, and many people may not receive them at all, Kearns says. People should “quickly check any water or Do Not Drink notices from your water supplier, your city, your community,” he advises. “Share this with your neighbors and make sure people who may have languages ​​other than English as their first language receive the information and understand what’s going on.”

Some places, such as Louisville in Colorado, and Maui in Hawaii, released public access maps that tracked water quality at each location, which helped inform the public in the months and years that followed.

Before carrying the instructions, water suppliers are required by the State of California to monitor for benzene. However, Whelton warns that benzene is not the only chemical of concern and the list of potential contaminants is long. Government and third-party testing services do not always account for the potential impact. “It’s possible that some of the chemicals will last longer than the water supplier expects,” reiterates McCurry. They still encourage vigilance. Activated charcoal filters can help remove some pollutants, but they won’t completely eliminate the dangers.

“Good water.” he can they will be restored after the fire,” says Whelton. “Communities that recover faster and stronger are those that work together and support each other.”



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