RAPID: Drinking Water System Contamination Response and Recovery Following the 2021 Colorado Wildfires

Purdue University, West Lafayette IN

Investigators

Abstract

Wildfires are causing significant destruction in the Western United States including damages to drinking water systems. During wildfires, the plastic components of drinking water distribution networks can undergo combustion and pyrolysis with a subsequent release of toxic volatile organic chemicals (VOCs) that can contaminate drinking water. This RAPID project will test the hypothesis that VOCs released by the damaged plastic components of drinking water distribution systems are partially responsible for the water contamination that was observed following the Marshall Fire in Boulder County, Colorado. To test this hypothesis, the researchers and collaborators from the affected water utilities will carry out field studies to collect and analyze ephemeral samples of water and fire-damaged plastic water infrastructure including pipes, gaskets, meters, and premise plumbing. By combining the field studies with targeted laboratory experiments, the researchers and their collaborators hope to elucidate the role of plastic water infrastructure damage and plastic pipe formulation on VOC drinking water contamination following a wildfire. The successful completion of this project will benefit society through the development of new knowledge to advance our fundamental understanding of the impact of wildfires on drinking water distribution systems and water quality. Further benefits to society will be achieved through student education and training including the mentoring of three doctoral students and an undergraduate student at Purdue University. Many polymers that are utilized in the manufacturing of the plastic components of drinking water distribution systems (DWDS) such as polyethylene (PE) can generate volatile organic compounds (VOCs) during combustion and pyrolysis. However, a fundamental understanding of the relationships between VOC water contamination and fire-induced damages to the plastic components of DDWS (e.g., pipes, gaskets, meters, and premise plumbing) has remained elusive. The overarching goal of this project is to address these knowledge gaps. To advance this goal, the investigators of this project propose an integrated field and laboratory study to (1) identify VOCs of concern by exhuming and characterizing damaged plastic components from the DWDS of the collaborating utilities affected by the Marshal Fire, and 2) simulate and quantify VOC generation profiles from fire-induced damages to plastic water infrastructure materials using PE flat sheets with antioxidant stabilizers (e.g., butylated hydroxytoluene) as model systems. The successful completion of this project has the potential for transformative impact through the development of new fundamental knowledge to understand and mitigate the adverse impact of wildfires on drinking water quality and distribution systems. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.