Wildfires and their Effects on Drinking Water Systems

Tue May 17, 2022 @ 2:00 - 3:30 (PDT)
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Wildfires and their Effects on Drinking Water Systems

This presentation will focus on the topic of wildfires and their effects on drinking water systems. Dr. Whelton will share his insights and experiences on wildfire emergency response and recovery. His research in infrastructure damage and volatile organic compound (VOC) contamination after wildfires has greatly impacted the risk assessment process during water system recovery efforts. This webinar will provide an update on the discoveries of Dr. Whelton’s team and provide an opportunity for a Q&A discussion on emerging wildfire concerns for water systems and

  • Identify hazards of wildfire damage on water system infrastructure
  • Understand the risk of volatile organic compound (VOC) contamination after wildfires
  • Discuss case studies of previous wildfires and lessons learned
  • Apply this information to future wildfire emergency response and recovery
Dr Whelton
Dr. Whelton is a professor of civil engineering at Purdue University and Director of the Center for Plumbing Safety. Dr. Whelton’s expertise focuses on environmental chemistry and engineering, emergency events, polymer science, infrastructure and public health. He has 20 years of experience in the academic, private, and military sectors.