Residents of the area that was afflicted by South California wildfires could now be experiencing problems with their water supply. Residents are choosing to move back to areas, such as Paradise, Calif. despite the fact their water could reportedly be contaminated due to the runoff from the most destructive wildfire in California history.

Many property owners experienced devastating losses from the fire. Since the news came out that PG&E’s lack of maintenance could have sparked the initial blaze, some California property owners are thinking about taking legal action. Many say they have not been able to recover or repair their properties after the fire swept through so quickly that it damaged many structures.

Town Attempts to Move On After Wildfire

The wildfire occurred five months ago, but much of the town of Paradise is still a disaster zone. A very small percentage of the debris that occurred from the wildfire has been moved after the Camp Fire hit in November.

In fact, experts estimate that only 6 percent of that debris has been taken away. Piles of toxic rubble and burnt trees can reportedly still be found everywhere. The deadly South California wildfire could also have contaminated up to 173 miles of pipeline in the town’s water system.

Volatile organic compounds and cancer-causing benzene are two of the potential problems affecting the water supply. According to NPR, preliminary testing results have identified that the contamination lined to the Camp Fire has impacted up to one-third of the lines that were tested, although fewer than 2 percent of the total system has been sampled to determine whether or not the water is fully contaminated.

Some news agencies report that there are initials signs of rebuilding the town of Paradise after it was destroyed by wildfire. The first official permits to help rebuild houses were recently issued at the end of March. A total of 11,000 homes were reportedly destroyed in the wildfire.

Some retail establishments have already reopened, but many are still attempting to get their insurance sorted out from their claims. Although the town is showing signs of life, residents could be affected by contaminated water supply. The far-reaching implications of that water supply are not yet known.

Some residents have reportedly chosen to attempt to come back to the fire damaged area. There have been these early signs of the town rebuilding, but public health could be affected. Within the district area, there are 10,500 service lines affecting water. Many neighborhoods still have not been tested at all and some experts believe that it is necessary to shut down and isolate the contaminated sections.

The system could reportedly take years to fix, since the testing alone could require more than two years total. Many of the people living in the area could be exposed to risks they are not even aware of at this time.

Some property owners are still attempting to recover compensation for the wildfire damage they sustained from the Camp Fire. If this applies to you, a consultation with an attorney could help.

This article is not legal advice. It is presented
for informational purposes only.