Plastic is also vulnerable to fires. Studies have found that when plastic pipes are heated to high temperatures, they can both melt and release harmful chemicals.

The 2023 fire that swept through Lahaina, Hawaii, damaged plastic water pipes, contributing to a drop in water pressure when Maui firefighters needed it most. In the aftermath, residents were warned that plastic pipes could contaminate the water supply by leaching dangerous chemicals. Loss of pressure can create a sort of vacuum that sucks chemicals and bacteria into water systems.

Heating during fires can also cause plastic to release harmful chemicals. Water testing in California communities affected by wildfires in 2017 and 2018 found that water systems had been contaminated with volatile organic compounds such as benzene, a carcinogen.

With billions of dollars in federal funding available, communities are deciding right now whether to invest in plastic pipes or other materials as replacements for lead. This is an historic undertaking.

However, we believe more research on the potential effects of plastic needs to be conducted to better understand both the short- and long-term risks to human health and the environment. All factors need to be considered: health, durability, longevity and fire concerns. The initial price tag is not always an indicator of the hidden costs.

This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit, independent news organization bringing you facts and analysis to help you make sense of our complex world.

Read more:
EPA has lowered the screening level for lead in soil – here’s what that could mean for households across the US

Plastic pipes are polluting drinking water systems after wildfires – it’s a risk in urban fires, too

Nothing to disclose.

Melissa Scanlan and Rajpreet Grewal do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.