Plastic Piping Contaminated Water after Wildfires

Studies of communities impacted by wildfires found burned and melted plastic piping contaminated community water systems with high levels of carcinogenic benzene. Research from the American Water Works Association, “Smoke and Water Don’t Mix,” looked for benzene sources in the wake of fire disasters in California. A research team from the EPA and the California … more

Fire Safety, Leaching

How to Pick the Safest Pipes for your Building

When choosing a piping material for a construction or renovation projects, builders should assess available information on the safety hazards that each presents. Installing materials that leach chemicals into water, create fire hazards, and threaten the environment put building occupants in real danger of both short- and long-term health risks. … more

Fire Safety, Leaching, Microplastics, Permeation

No Paradise: Water Contamination Demonstrates Importance of Safe Piping

No Paradise: Water Contamination Demonstrates Importance of Safe Piping After the tragic Camp Fire in Paradise, California, the region’s drinking water became contaminated when heat-damaged plastic pipes leached chemicals into the water supply. Testing found high amounts of benzene, above 500 parts per billion (ppb) in the water, grossly higher than CA’s limit of 1 … more

Fire Safety, Leaching