NewsPronto

 
The Times


.

USA Conversation

The Conversation USA

The Conversation USA

Wildfires can contaminate drinking water systems with harmful chemicals − here’s what Los Angeles needs to know

  • Written by Andrew J. Whelton, Professor of Civil, Environmental and Ecological Engineering, Purdue University
imageWater runs from a pipe where a home once stood in the Pacific Palisades community of Los Angeles in January 2025. Jay L. Clendenin/Getty Images

The wildfires in the Los Angeles area have destroyed thousands of structures, many of them homes, and firefighters continue to battle the infernos. Parts of Pacific Palisades, Altadena, Pasadena and other...

Read more: Wildfires can contaminate drinking water systems with harmful chemicals − here’s what Los Angeles...

More Articles ...

  1. Philly sports fans consider themselves ‘gritty’ − but it’s merely a myth used to fuel their passion
  2. An eye for an eye: People agree about the values of body parts across cultures and eras
  3. How the EPA administrator protects public health, air, water and the environment
  4. With more Americans able to access legalized marijuana, fewer are picking up prescriptions for anti-anxiety medications – new research
  5. Even 1 drink a day elevates your cancer risk – an expert on how alcohol affects the body breaks down a new government report
  6. Funding public schools based on enrollment in the previous year may help keep their budgets more stable, research shows
  7. Many ‘impact investors’ aren’t fully tracking whether their investments are good for society or the environment − new research
  8. From anecdotes to AI tools, how doctors make medical decisions is evolving with technology
  9. Southern California is extremely dry, and that’s fueling fires − maps show just how dry
  10. Trump gets an ‘unconditional discharge’ in hush money conviction − a constitutional law expert explains what that means
  11. Wildfire smoke inside homes can create health risks that linger for months − tips for cleaning and staying safe
  12. How the U.S. could in fact make Canada an American territory
  13. 2024’s extreme ocean heat leaves 2 mysteries to solve
  14. 2024’s extreme ocean heat breaks records again, leaving 2 mysteries to solve
  15. Trump’s Greenland bid is really about control of the Arctic and the coming battle with China
  16. Germany and US have long been allies - that could change with Trump
  17. Birkin handbags, Walmart’s ‘Wirkin’ and the meme-ification of class warfare
  18. How midlife became a crisis
  19. Trees ‘remember’ wetter times − never having known abundant rain could buffer today’s young forests against climate change
  20. I study modern-day slavery − and here’s what I’ve learned about how enslavers try to justify their actions
  21. 3 myths about rural education that are holding students back
  22. How the world fell in love with plastic without thinking through the consequences – podcast
  23. How Santa Ana winds fueled the deadly fires in Southern California
  24. Trump won’t rule out force to take Greenland – a country with a complex colonial history
  25. Trump’s push to control Greenland echoes US purchase of Alaska from Russia in 1867
  26. Want to quit vaping this year? Here’s what the evidence shows so far about effective strategies
  27. 3 ways Trump’s EPA could use the language of science to weaken pollution controls
  28. Logging off life but living on: How AI is redefining death, memory and immortality
  29. Nuclear fusion could one day be a viable clean energy source – but big engineering challenges stand in the way
  30. Selfish or selfless? Anti-natalists say they’re going child-free to protect the kids they won’t have
  31. Interior secretary manages vast lands that all Americans share − and can sway the balance between conservation and development
  32. Gender balance in computer science and engineering is improving at elite universities but getting worse elsewhere
  33. Who owns that restaurant? The answer can affect food safety in unexpected ways, researchers find
  34. Jean-Marie Le Pen died knowing his extremist far-right politics have been successfully mainstreamed in France
  35. Vitamin deficiency may be why you’re so tired – a nutritional neuroscientist explains how to kickstart your energy by getting essential nutrients in a well-rounded diet, along with more sleep and exercise
  36. Unlikely bedfellows: How platform companies shortchange porn performers and ride-hailing drivers alike
  37. Providing driver’s licenses to undocumented immigrants improves birth outcomes, research shows
  38. Technology is supposed to decrease teacher burnout – but we found it can sometimes make it worse
  39. Brain monitoring may be the future of work – how it’s used could improve employee performance or worsen discrimination
  40. Planning for spring’s garden? Bees like variety and don’t care about your neighbors’ yards
  41. Trudeau taps out: How Trump’s taunts and tariff threats added to domestic woes confronting Canada’s long-standing PM
  42. Americans’ rage at insurers goes beyond health coverage – the author of ‘Delay, Deny, Defend’ points to 3 reforms that could help
  43. How Christian nationalism played a role in incorporating the phrase ‘so help me God’ in the presidential oath of office
  44. That Arctic blast can feel brutally cold, but how much colder than ‘normal’ is it really?
  45. What Shakespeare revealed about the chaotic reign of Richard III – and why the play still resonates in the age of Donald Trump
  46. Nearly 54% of extreme conservatives say the federal government should use violence to stop illegal immigration
  47. Plants that evolved in Florida over millennia now face extinction and lack protection
  48. Microbes can colonize space, produce drugs and create energy − researchers are simulating their inner workings to harness how
  49. What is a war crime?
  50. Here’s what happens when teachers tailor their lessons to students’ individual learning styles