AWWA ACE58237

Drinking water utilities are accustomed to dealing with changes in water quality that arise from regular weather events, and most have had at least one occasion of serious flooding that drastically affected water quality. In the western part of the U.S., utilities are now adding forest fires to the list of events that can significantly affect water quality and treatment. Changes to water quality due to the influx of runoff from burned areas are both significant and unusual with respect to typical raw water conditions. Treatment of fire runoff by utilities whose normal raw water supplies are pristine mountain water is challenging. The City of Durango in southern Colorado is one of the communities facing this water quality challenge with the spring runoff of 2003. Careful evaluation of water quality and available treatment has led to fast-track modifications to Durango's water treatment plant to be ready to treat fire-impacted water. Includes 5 references, table, figures.