Drinking Tap Water Could be Contaminated in L.A. County Areas Affected by Wildfires

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Los Angeles-area residents who already face warnings about their tap water could be without it for some time, experts told NBC News, owing to concerns about the damage done to local infrastructure and the chemicals released by wildfires.

At least two water departments have told residents not to drink their tap water because of concerns about potential contamination from the ongoing wildfires. And the possibility of chemicals’ and pathogens’ entering the water system has raised concerns about potential risks to human health, though it may take a while for tests to determine the scope of the problem, particularly since the fires are still active.

On Friday, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power instructed people in the Pacific Palisades and adjacent communities to use bottled water for cooking, drinking, brushing teeth and washing dishes. The advisory warns that fire-related contaminants such as benzene — a chemical with the potential to cause cancer — may have entered the water system.

The Pasadena Water and Power Department also told many residents last week to switch to bottled water until further notice, citing concerns that debris may have entered the system. The Eaton Fire in the area damaged several reservoirs and pump stations, the department said, which could affect water quality.

“There’s definitely some level of contamination in these damaged systems. How much nobody knows,” said Jackson Webster, an assistant professor of civil engineering at California State University in Chico.

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