Community-Driven Water Quality Assessment Following the 2023 Maui Wildfires: Insights into Post-Fire Drinking Water Contamination and Resilient Disaster Response

The August 2023 wildfires in Maui, Hawai'i, damaged or destroyed more than 2200 structures and displaced thousands of people. Residents in the towns of Kula and Lahaina were put under do-not-use drinking-water advisories due to the potential for volatile organic compound (VOC) formation within or leaching from the water distribution system following heat or smoke exposure. This study documents how researchers and community members united to initiate a home tap water sampling and water-quality outreach program in response to the need for information during and after the crisis. The majority of samples were collected in the three months after the wildfire and were screened for 78 VOCs, many of which were fire-related compounds. In total, 395 raw-tap water samples and 191 filtered water samples were analyzed. Fourteen chemicals were detected; however, very few exceedances of drinking water exposure limits were found. A key success of the program was the employment of affected community members as sampling staff, which fostered trust, improved participation, and enhanced communication. The findings offer insights into the impacts of urban wildfires on municipal water systems and the important role university-community collaboration can play in disaster response.