Bigger and more-frequent wildfires threaten water supplies across the US
New studies say wildfire contamination can remain in drinking water for more than a decade, forcing utilities to use stopgap supplies and costly upgrades.
- Lead author Carli Brucker of the University of Colorado Boulder found wildfire contamination in drinking water supplies can persist for up to eight years, threatening forested watersheds serving nearly two-thirds of U.S. municipalities.
- Rains carry ash and organic matter into streams, where they react with chlorine to form "disinfection byproducts," which the Environmental Protection Agency regulates because they can cause illnesses, including cancer.
- In Las Vegas, New Mexico, the Hermit's Peak/Calf Canyon wildfire contaminated the Gallinas River in 2022, forcing residents to rely on bottled water and shipments for years as local supplies remained unsafe.
- State and federal governments allocated $148 million to rebuild the city's water treatment plant, with Las Vegas Mayor David Romero confirming that groundbreaking for the new facility is slated for Nov. 18.
- Climate change and drought conditions have intensified the wildfire crisis, with 68,179 blazes burning more than 9.5 million acres so far in 2026, exacerbating long-term water quality threats across the nation.
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17 Articles
Bigger and more-frequent wildfires threaten water supplies across the US – WTOP News
Wildfires leave behind charred trees and scorched vegetation that impact the streams and rivers providing drinking water to much of the country, and new studies show that contamination could remain for more than a decade. These findings about the longevity of contamination in the nation’s drinking water supplies are especially concerning as climate change and...
Bigger and more-frequent wildfires threaten water supplies across the
Wildfires leave behind charred trees and scorched vegetation that impact the streams and rivers providing drinking water to much of the country, and new studies show that contamination could remain for more than a decade. These findings
Winnipeg Free Press
Bigger and more-frequent wildfires threaten water supplies across the US
Wildfires leave behind charred trees and scorched vegetation that impact the streams and rivers providing drinking water to much of the country, and new studies show that contamination could remain for more than a decade.
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