By Elizabeth Zach, RCAC staff writer

A study examining how wildfires could impact drinking water indicates that these natural disasters affect water quality and availability.

According to researchers working with the Water Research Foundation, water utilities in the rural West and elsewhere have become increasingly concerned about water quality following wildfires and the ability to effectively treat contaminated water sources.

“Currently, there are a limited number of reported case studies where post-wildfire water quality and treatability were monitored at drinking water utilities,” the study’s authors noted. “Therefore, there is a need to better understand the effects of wildfires on source water quality and treatability, while also considering the effects on treatment plant operations and costs.”

To read more, go here: http://www.waterrf.org/PublicReportLibrary/4590.pdf