Contaminant Migration from Polymer Pipes to Drinking Water under High Temperature Wildfire Exposure
Publication: Lifelines 2022
ABSTRACT
The intensity, severity, and frequency of wildfires throughout the world have significantly increased in recent years, causing damage to structures and lifeline infrastructure in wildland urban interface communities. The 2018 Camp Fire in California damaged nearly 19,000 structures in Butte County and caused widespread contamination of the water within the water distribution system (WDS) in Paradise. The water contamination led to a town-wide water advisory shutoff, impeding recovery of the town as schools, hospitals, and commercial businesses were unable to reopen immediately following the fire. The objective of this research is to explore the relationship between pipe material, pipe temperature, heating duration, and chemical contamination of water within buried water distribution networks, specifically during wildfire heating of service lateral water pipes. This research aims to investigate lifeline resilience through understanding the impact of wildfire on different service pipeline materials and the effect that pipe material may have in the recovery of WDSs after a wildfire. To better understand the impact of temperature and heating duration on pipe materials, the authors perform a series of experiments to determine the critical temperature and duration of heating at which contaminants migrate from pipes into contained water. This paper will help inform utilities of the potential water contamination risk posed by wildfire hazards.
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Lifelines 2022
Pages: 666 - 676
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Published online: Nov 16, 2022
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Cited by
- Vaughan Mitchell, Jinzhe Gong, Ellen Moon, Wenyan Wu, Bushfire Impact on Drinking Water Distribution Networks and Investigation Methods: A Review, Water Resources Research, 10.1029/2024WR038225, 61, 3, (2025).
- Amy J. Metz, Erica C. Fischer, Brad P. Wham, Behavior of Service Lateral Pipes during Wildfires: Testing Methodologies and Impact on Drinking Water Contamination, ACS ES&T Water, 10.1021/acsestwater.2c00248, 3, 2, (275-286), (2023).
- Andrew J. Whelton, Chad Seidel, Brad P. Wham, Erica C. Fischer, Kristofer Isaacson, Caroline Jankowski, Nathan MacArthur, Elizabeth McKenna, Christian Ley, The Marshall Fire: Scientific and policy needs for water system disaster response, AWWA Water Science, 10.1002/aws2.1318, 5, 1, (2023).