The Impact of Wildfires on Source Water: Critical Considerations for Dental Offices
Agenics Labs is committed to supporting offices impacted by the Palisades, Eaton, and surrounding wildfires. Please contact Agenics to receive special pricing on your testing needs.
Email orders@agenics.net or call us directly at 719-466-5592 to obtain special discounted pricing on all testing products.
The recent wildfires in Southern California have been devastating, affecting communities, businesses, and essential resources like drinking water. As dental practitioners work to rebuild and support their patients, it’s important to understand the potential risks to water quality and take proactive steps to ensure a safe and reliable supply for patient care.
Wildfire Impacts to Water Sources
Wildfires can significantly compromise both surface and groundwater drinking water systems, leading to increased concentrations of chemical and organic contaminants. These issues are primarily driven by:
Post-wildfire precipitation:
Rainfall and runoff carry ash, debris, and pollutants into water systems, increasing erosion and reducing the ecosystem's ability to naturally filter contaminants.
Carbon compound release:
Burned vegetation and materials release organic matter into water sources. Combined with higher nutrient levels and elevated water temperatures, this can promote the growth of harmful bacteria and other microorganisms.
Depletion of water resources:
Fire-related water depletion can leave systems more susceptible to chemical contamination.
Thermal degradation:
Extreme heat can partially melt infrastructure components, releasing hazardous chemicals into the water supply.
Implications for Dental Facilities
Dental offices rely heavily on clean and safe water for patient treatments and infection control. Contaminated water can pose serious health risks and operational challenges, such as:
Boil Advisories:
If contamination exceeds EPA standards, dental offices may be subject to "Do Not Drink" or boil water notices. If you are located in Southern California, check your local advisories here.
Bacterial contamination:
Increased organic content in water can foster bacterial growth and biofilm formation within dental unit waterlines.
Equipment damage:
Highly contaminated municipal water can compromise existing treatment systems and infection control equipment, reducing their effectiveness.
Reduced treatment efficacy:
Elevated levels of certain contaminants can hinder the performance of many dental water treatment products’ active ingredient(s).
Recommended Actions for Dental Practices
Check Local Advisories
Determine if your area is under a boil advisory and switch to boiled or bottled water as needed.
Test Water Quality
Before resuming normal operations, test your source water to ensure it meets the EPA 500 CFU/ml drinking standard (source).
NOTE: even if switching to boiled or bottled water, the dental lines may be contaminated from the source water previously being used, or from an extended period of downtime.
Shock Waterlines as Needed
If testing results in bacterial loads greater than 500 CFU/ml, immediately shock the lines and retest.
Inspect Treatments Systems and Products
Ensure office water filtration and treatment systems are functioning correctly according to the Manufacturer’s Instructions for Use and are not compromised by recent contamination.
The Most Extensive Offering of Test Options
Agenics Labs is your trusted partner for dental unit water testing. We offer three easy-to-use, mail-in testing solutions to help your practice verify compliance, an affordable in-office monitoring tool, and comprehensive chemistry analyses. Our team will work with you to build the perfect protocol.
RapidCheck™
Precision and speed redefined with advanced flow cytometry testing.
SimCheck™
Our fastest EPA validated method.
StandardCheck™
The industry’s ‘gold standard’ R2A test.
MyCheck™
Affordable monitoring for routine checks in-between lab tests.
Chemistry Test
Understand variables affecting your testing outcomes.
Resources and Support
Staying compliant doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Agenics Labs helps provide the structure and expertise to make water quality testing easy and effective.
Protect Your Patients and Your Practice
Natural disasters such as wildfires can have significant impact on drinking water sources, ultimately posing risks to your dental water. Agenics Labs is here to support you every step of the way with reliable testing solutions and exceptional service.
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Let’s work together to ensure your practice stays safe, compliant, and thriving!
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