The Marshall Fire: Scientific and policy needs for water system disaster response

Abstract

The 2021 Marshall Fire was the costliest fire in Colorado's history and destroyed more than 1,000 homes and businesses. The disaster displaced over 40,000 people and damaged six public drinking water systems. A case study was developed to better understand decisions, resources, expertise, and response limitations during and after the wildfire. The fire caused all water systems to lose power. Power loss was sometimes coupled with structure destruction, distribution depressurization, and the failure of backup power systems. These consequences jeopardized fire‐fighting support and allowed for volatile organic compound and semi‐volatile organic compound contamination of water distribution systems. Water system staff, with help from neighboring systems and external technical experts, stabilized the infrastructure, found and removed the contamination, and restored services. Actions were identified for utilities, governments, and researchers that could help communities minimize wildfire impacts, better protect workers and the population, and enable water systems to more rapidly respond and recover.

Wildfire damage and contamination to private drinking water wells

“…By using the author's own supplies, equipment, and conducting chemical analysis in the Indiana laboratory, support from a commercial laboratory was not needed. Though, the impacted well owners and nearby municipalities whose water systems were damaged found great difficulty and 3 to 14 day delays in obtaining supplies to have their water sampled and analyzed (Whelton et al, 2023). It is unclear how impacted households with standing homes would cope with not being able to use their well or plumbing for this time period.…”

“…and Town of Superior (13,000 pop. ), where drinking water chemical contamination was found and addressed within several months (Whelton et al, 2023), this unregulated well system still had not restored water pressure to their distribution system 11 months after the fire. Within days after the Marshall Fire, these regulated water systems also obtained technical assistance from the state drinking water agency and out-of-state water system experts.…”

“…Pressure loss can hasten when building owners leave home garden hoses and sprinklers running, and pressure fluctuations can also destabilize pipe scale (KECY, 2021; Lehtola et al, 2006; Liu et al, 2017). VOC drinking water contamination found in California, Oregon, and Colorado regulated public water systems after wildfires has been hypothesized to originate from destroyed buildings and damaged assets (i.e., hydrants, service line pipes, and water meters) (Whelton et al, 2023). When wildfires occur, agencies commonly warn well owners that “water supply systems can be damaged and become polluted … or as a result of subsequent post‐fire flooding,” and to have a professional investigate the well (Mariposa, 2022).…”

“…More than half of the documents warned about the presence of earthy, smoky, and burnt tastes and odors, and recommended well owners flush their plumbing. Some of these documents did not recommend SVOC testing, but after wildfires, SVOCs have been found to sometimes cause off tastes and odors (Ferrer et al, 2021; Whelton et al, 2023). Across Canada, post‐fire well owner recommendations also varied (First Nations Health Authority, 2017; Government of Alberta, 2018; Government of British Columbia, 2021; Government of Nova Scotia, 2012).…”

Corrigendum—The Marshall fire: Scientific and policy needs for water system disaster response

“…Since publication of their article, Whelton et al (2023) identified that a figure was referenced where the supplementary materials should have been referenced, and that the supplementary materials did not include important information.…”