Key Takeaways:

• Several Los Angeles utilities declared drinking water unsafe as wildfires rage on, prompting precautionary alerts.
• Experts warn that toxic chemicals released during fires can contaminate drinking water supplies.
• Testing for water safety can take weeks, leaving residents uncertain about the quality of their water.
• Long-term exposure to even low levels of contaminants such as benzene can pose significant health risks.
• Residents are advised to adhere closely to guidance from utilities regarding water safety.

As wildfires continue to blaze across Los Angeles, drinking water safety is becoming an urgent concern. Multiple utilities have issued warnings declaring their water unsafe due to potential contamination from the fires, leading to widespread fear among residents. Notably, Pasadena Water and Power issued a rare “do not drink” notice for approximately one-third of its customers as a precaution after fiery devastation near water infrastructure left them vulnerable to toxic chemicals, which can infiltrate the drinking supply.

“Out of the abundance of caution, you kind of have to assume the worst,” said Stacie Takeguchi, chief assistant general manager for the utility. While many impacts are still being assessed, firefighters and residents alike are dealing with the aftermath of wildfires that not only threaten safety but compromise crucial water systems.

Generally, water systems maintain internal pressure, preventing harmful elements from entering the network. However, a fire can disrupt this pressure through a variety of avenues: water demand from non-evacuating residents, extensive usage by firefighters, and damage to pipes in burned structures. Many communities, including those affected by the catastrophic 2023 Maui fires, found themselves grappling with similar issues.

According to Andrew Whelton, a professor who specializes in water contamination, when fires burn in urban regions, the risk of infiltrating harmful materials into water systems increases significantly. “We can have ash, smoke, soot, other debris and gases get sucked into the water piping network,” he stated, emphasizing the danger posed by chemically engineered materials in homes and buildings.

Toxic chemicals found in drinking water post-fire can lead to health issues ranging from acute nausea to long-term risks such as cancer. Reports from prior incidents, such as the devastating 2018 Camp Fire in Paradise, California, highlight alarming levels of substances like benzene—a known carcinogen—exceeding safe limits in contaminated water supplies.

On a state level, California regulators maintain that the safe limit for benzene is one part per billion, a threshold that stems from decades of exposure monitoring for public health safety. However, findings indicate that even low exposure levels can prelude severe health ramifications over time, making thorough testing essential.

With over 200 water service providers in Los Angeles County, only a handful have reported concerns about contamination from damaged infrastructure during the ongoing wildfires. These utilities are urgently focusing on supplying water for firefighting efforts while cautiously beginning to test for contaminants in their water sources.

The lengthy process of testing and ensuring safe water access is daunting; in areas with minimal damage, it can take several weeks or even months to ascertain water quality. The situation is reminiscent of the Paradise fire aftermath, where efforts to restore safe drinking water involved replacing thousands of service lines at a substantial fiscal cost.

Residents in affected areas are strongly advised against performing personal water testing until utilities have reaffirmed the safety of public drinking supplies. Whelton cautions against relying on commercially available tests for identifying fire-related contaminants, recommending that residents await professional assessments once utilities declare their water systems safe.

Until safety measures are confirmed, individuals should diligently follow advisories from their local utilities and health departments regarding water consumption and safety guidelines.

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