Environmental Health Review
Private wells—building resilience to wildfires
About one in 10 households in Canada relies on a private well as their primary drinking water source, and as unregulated water supplies, the responsibility for managing drinking water safety lies with the well owner. Rural and remote communities with a higher reliance on private wells may be more exposed to climate-related hazards such as wildfires. Wildfires can damage well infrastructure, affect catchment hydrology, and potentially cause new pathways for biological or chemical contaminants to reach well water. Af …