ALT The Middle Fork Fire is visible in the distance, producing a large plume of smoke above the forest, viewed from a roadside with an informational signboard in the foreground.

ALT Wildfires are causing significant destruction in the United States including damages to drinking water systems. 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 Marshall 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., BHT) 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.

ALT A Purdue University graduate student collects a drinking water sample at a home whose property was damaged by the 2021 Marshall Fire. The research team was assisting homeowners in determining whether their water infrastructure was chemically contaminated, and if this contamination reached building faucets. This work was initiated from the Center for Plumbing Safety at Purdue, a national center developed for advancing knowledge, health, and innovation. Results will be posted at www.PlumbingSafety.org.

ALT This forum will highlight four new research studies focused on damage to the built environment, the response of water utilities, and assessments of air quality impacts from the Marshall Fire. Each of the four research teams will take 10 minutes to present the preliminary findings from their research. The remaining time will be dedicated to questions from the audience as well as resource sharing and research coordination efforts. If you have questions you would like to pose in advance for the speakers or questions about this series, please contact us at converge@colorado.edu.