University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources water experts are offering ideas about best practices to test for carcinogenic and bacterial contaminants in water supplies that can arise from urban wildfires like those in Los Angeles last month.
As the fallout becomes better understood, UC Cooperative Extension researchers recommend strict adherence to local water agency guidance, such as boiling water before consumption.
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Erik Porse, director of the California Institute for Water Resources, said in a release that unwanted particles can infiltrate drinking water when portions of infrastructure systems melt. He explained that increased demand can cause pipes to lose pressure, leading to bacteria growth.
Other risks to waterways include mudslides. CIWR scientist Hope Hauptman said wildfire-ravaged vegetation is less capable of sponging water and keeping soil in place. Monica Palta, a UC Cooperative Extension urban water quality specialist, added that wildfires can shift soil composition when burning plant material, creating a wax-like soil coating that and repels water. Runoff is especially dangerous after fires, allowing ash into rivers and eventually the ocean.
Palta recommends gardeners replace the top 6 to 12 inches of their soil with clean soil following fires and add compost to improve infiltration.
