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Persistent surges of post-fire contaminants pose costly challenges for water treatment plants

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Wildfires contaminate water quality for nearly a decade after the blaze
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Overview

  • A study published June 23 in Nature Communications Earth & Environment compared decades of water quality data from 245 burned and nearly 300 unburned western U.S. watersheds to isolate wildfire impacts.
  • In the first year after a fire, sediment and turbidity levels increased 19 to 286 times above prefire baselines while organic carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus rose three to 103 times.
  • Nitrogen and sediment concentrations remained significantly elevated for up to eight years post-fire, increasing the risk of algal blooms and harmful byproducts in drinking water.
  • Watersheds with denser forests or greater urban burn areas experienced more severe and prolonged contamination, highlighting the need for tailored watershed management.
  • Municipal utilities must prepare for multi-year treatment expenses, exemplified by Denver’s more than $27 million investment after the Buffalo Creek and Hayman fires.

Articles 4

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indiatoday.in2w
Wildfires contaminate water quality for nearly a decade after the blaze
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UPI2w
Wildfires can pollute rivers, drinking water for years - UPI.com
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Phys.org2w
Wildfires threaten water quality for up to eight years after they burn, study shows
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The Conversation2w
After the smoke clears, a wildfire’s legacy can haunt rivers for years, putting drinking water at risk