Water Officials Warn Residents Against Tap Water Use Amid Southern California Wildfires
The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power ordered Pacific Palisades residents to stop using tap water on January 10, 2025, as the ongoing Palisades Fire threatens local water infrastructure. The advisory prohibits drinking, cooking, and extended bathing with tap water in affected neighborhoods. Water safety experts warn that wildfire-related contamination could introduce cancer-causing chemicals like benzene into the water supply through damaged distribution systems. While Los Angeles’ main water reservoirs remain protected, local delivery infrastructure faces immediate risks from fire damage and depressurization. The warning represents the latest in a series of water advisories issued this week across Southern California’s fire-affected regions.
5 Key Points
- The LA Department of Water and Power issued an emergency water advisory for Pacific Palisades on January 10, 2025.
- Residents are instructed not to drink, cook with, or take long hot showers using tap water.
- Fire damage can introduce benzene and other volatile organic compounds into water systems.
- Water contamination occurs through damaged infrastructure and pressure loss during firefighting.
- Past California wildfires have caused severe water contamination through melted pipes and storage tanks.
Current Emergency Response and Advisory Details
The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power’s January 10 advisory leaves no room for interpretation: “DO NOT DRINK OR COOK WITH THE TAP WATER … DO NOT TREAT THE TAP WATER YOURSELF.” The warning extends beyond consumption to include restrictions on hot baths and extended showers, marking a comprehensive approach to protecting public health. Water officials deployed emergency response teams throughout the Pacific Palisades and surrounding neighborhoods to assess infrastructure damage and monitor contamination risks. The department emphasizes that residents should not attempt home treatment, as certain contaminants may resist typical filtration approaches. These emergency measures reflect lessons learned from previous California wildfire disasters, where trying to treat contaminated water at home proved ineffective and potentially dangerous.
Los Angeles Water System Faces Multiple Contamination Risks
While Los Angeles’ primary water reservoirs remain protected mainly from the Palisades Fire due to their distance from the affected areas, the local water delivery infrastructure faces immediate contamination risks. Randy Dahlgren, a professor of soil science at UC Davis, explains that atmospheric ash deposited in reservoirs poses minimal concern since water treatment facilities can address it. “There might be some ‘atmospheric deposition’ of ash on drinking water reservoirs, but this is generally not a serious concern,” Dahlgren notes, highlighting that LA’s water sourcing from locations far north and east of the county provides some protection. The greater threat comes from damaged pipes, storage tanks, and treatment facilities distributing water to homes and businesses throughout the affected areas. Water officials worry most about system depressurization when firefighters tap multiple hydrants to combat the blazes, creating conditions where contaminants can infiltrate the system through multiple entry points.
Understanding the Contamination Process
During normal operations, water systems maintain positive pressure, ensuring water flows consistently from treatment plants to homes. However, the unprecedented Southern California wildfires have created extraordinary demands on the system. When firefighters open multiple hydrants simultaneously, the resulting pressure drop can create a vacuum effect throughout the network. Jackson Webster, a civil engineering professor at California State University in Chico, explains the technical aspects: “That vacuum pulls contaminants, like gases from combustion, back into the distribution system. And this causes chemical contamination of the distribution system, which is very difficult to get rid of.” This vacuum effect can draw in toxic substances through various entry points, including damaged pipes, compromised storage tanks, and even operational fire hydrants. This makes the contamination widespread and challenging to address.
Past California Fires Reveal Contamination Patterns
Previous wildfire disasters in California have demonstrated how water systems can become contaminated with dangerous chemicals. The 2017 Tubbs Fire in Santa Rosa and the 2018 Camp Fire in Paradise revealed high levels of benzene, a known carcinogen, in drinking water after the fires. Jackson Webster points to specific infrastructure failures during these events, including melted plastic pipes and compromised water meters. The 2020 North Complex Fire provided additional evidence of infrastructure vulnerability when plastic liners in water tanks melted, introducing more contaminants into the system. These historical cases have helped water officials identify potential risks and implement preventive measures, though each fire presents unique challenges based on local conditions and infrastructure composition.
Contamination Levels Vary by Location and Fire Conditions
Andrew Whelton, a Purdue University civil engineering professor who studies post-wildfire water contamination, emphasizes that contamination patterns differ between fires. “They will find contamination,” Whelton states. “The question is, how high is it? Where is it? What parts of the communities will have to have restrictions?” The 2023 Maui wildfires produced water unsafe for drinking but safe enough for showering, while northern California fires in 2017 and 2018 created more severe contamination levels. These variations depend on multiple factors, including local infrastructure materials, underground system connections, and the specific materials burned in each area. Webster adds, “Not everybody in all of Southern California needs to be concerned about their water right now. But there are certainly systems that have been damaged that probably will have lasting contamination issues.”
Infrastructure Damage Creates Long-Term Challenges
The impact of wildfire-related water contamination extends far beyond the immediate emergency. The North Complex Fire in 2020 demonstrated how plastic components in water systems can melt and contaminate water supplies. During that fire, plastic liners in water tanks melted, while the Camp Fire destroyed plastic pipes and water meters, allowing contaminated materials to enter the water supply. The vacuum effect created by system depressurization can pull in soot and air pollution from burned structures through damaged pipes, open fire hydrants, and water storage tank vents. Water quality experts emphasize that this contamination often proves challenging to eliminate once it enters the system, potentially requiring extensive infrastructure replacement and long-term monitoring programs.
Public Health Response and Testing Protocols
Whelton encourages residents in affected areas to strictly follow local health officials’ warnings, as chemical contamination may not be detectable through sight or smell alone. Water utilities must implement comprehensive testing protocols to identify contamination levels and types. This process includes repeated water sampling, system flushing, and regular public communications about problems and recovery timelines. The situation requires a coordinated response from multiple agencies, including water utilities, public health departments, and emergency management teams, to ensure public safety and system recovery.
FAQ
Q: Can I file a lawsuit if I was harmed by contaminated water?
A: Legal options may be available if you or a loved one suffered health issues due to contaminated water. Contact our legal experts to learn about your rights and start a free, confidential case review.
Q: Is drinking tap water in Pacific Palisades safe right now?
A: No. The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power has explicitly warned residents not to drink or cook with tap water as of January 10, 2025. Residents should not attempt to treat the water themselves.
Q: How do wildfires contaminate drinking water systems?
A: Wildfires contaminate water systems in two main ways: through the water source (though this is less common) and through the delivery system. When firefighters use multiple hydrants, the system can lose pressure, creating a vacuum that pulls in contaminants through damaged pipes, vents, and hydrants.
Q: What types of chemicals can contaminate water during wildfires?
A: Benzene, a known carcinogen, and other volatile organic compounds commonly contaminate water systems during wildfires. These chemicals can come from burning materials, melted plastic infrastructure components, and combustion gases pulled into the system.
Q: Are short showers safe in areas under water advisories?
A: The current advisory recommends against hot baths and long showers. While contamination levels vary by location, residents should follow local health officials’ guidance as some chemicals may not be detectable by sight or smell.
Q: How long do water contamination issues typically last after wildfires?
A: The duration varies significantly based on the severity of the damage and the type of contamination. Previous California wildfires have caused lasting contamination issues that required extensive infrastructure repairs and long-term monitoring before water became safe again.
Q: Can home water filters make contaminated water safe to drink?
A: No. The LA Department of Water and Power explicitly warns residents not to attempt treating the water themselves, as typical home filtration methods may not remove all dangerous contaminants.
Citations
Huang, P. (January 11, 2025). Amid the fires, LA is warning some residents the tap water isn’t safe. Here’s why. NPR. https://www.npr.org/sections/shots-health-news/2025/01/11/nx-s1-5254227/la-fires-palisades-water-advisories
