Water, utilities and septic systems after a wildfire

• If you receive water from a community water system, follow all instructions or notices issued by the water supplier or health authority.
• If you use a well, have the system inspected and the water tested after a wildfire. Water may be contaminated even if it looks, smells and tastes normal.
• If your well was damaged or may have been exposed to ash, runoff or firefighting activities:
  • Assume the water is unsafe until the system has been assessed and the water tested. 
  • Use bottled water for drinking, preparing food, making ice, brushing teeth, washing food or dishes, and giving water to pets. 
  • Do not use the water for showering, bathing or laundry unless a health authority confirms these uses are safe. 
  • Contact your local health authority for advice about inspecting, testing and disinfecting the system. 
  • Do not rely on boiling alone. Boiling can kill many germs, but it does not remove chemical contaminants and may concentrate some chemicals.

• Stay away from power lines, poles, transformers and utility boxes. Assume damaged equipment is live.

• Contact BC Hydro at 1-888-769-3766 or *49376 from a mobile phone about outages, damaged infrastructure or service fluctuations.

• Have damaged wiring, panels and appliances assessed before restoring power.

• Use generators outdoors only, well away from doors, windows and vents. Never connect a generator directly to a household circuit unless a qualified electrician has installed approved transfer equipment.

• If you smell gas or propane, leave immediately. Do not operate switches, lights, fans, phones or anything that could create a spark. Call the supplier or 9-1-1 from a safe location.
• Do not touch or move a damaged propane cylinder or tank. Keep your distance and contact the fire department, supplier or another qualified professional.
• Ask the supplier or a licensed technician to inspect propane, natural gas and heating oil systems before use.
• Contact Technical Safety BC if you need information about required permits or inspections.

If your home was directly affected by the fire, or if the fire was close to your home, have a Registered Onsite Wastewater Practitioner (ROWP) assess the system and recommend repairs. These individuals can be found by searching your geographic region at . Do not use the system unless you know it can safely handle waste.

Find a ROWP in your region

Systems with additional electrical components, such as dosing pumps or secondary treatment, should also be assessed to ensure safety.

If you return home and there are signs of the system not working properly including drains flowing slowly and signs of wastewater breaking out on soil, a ROWP should be contacted immediately for assessment and repair.