Contaminated Water Supply
Drinking contaminated water may cause illness. You cannot assume that the water in the hurricane-affected area is safe to drink. Listen to local announcements on the safety of the water supply.
If your public water system loses pressure, a boil water notice will likely be issued for your area.
People in these areas should take precautions to avoid contaminated water, especially individuals with private wells. If your well is in a flooded area, your water may contain disease-causing organisms and may not be safe to drink.
DOH recommends one of the following:
- Boil water for at least one minute before using it for drinking, washing, cooking, etc.;
- Disinfect water by adding 8 drops about 1/8 tsp - this would form a puddle about the size of a dime of unscented household bleach per gallon of water, and then let it stand for 30 minutes. If the water is cloudy after 30 minutes, repeat the procedure. Use a container that has a cap or cover for disinfecting and storing water to be used for drinking as this will prevent contamination.
- Use only bottled water, especially for mixing baby formula.
After the flooding subsides:
Contaminated Food
Do not eat any food that may have come into contact with floodwaters. Discard any food without a waterproof container if there is any chance that it has come into contact with floodwaters. Undamaged, commercially canned foods can be saved if you remove the labels thoroughly, wash the cans, and then disinfect them with a solution consisting of 1/4 cup of unscented household bleach per gallon of water for clean surfaces. Re-label your cans, including the expiration date, with a marker. Food containers with screw-caps, snap lids, and home canned foods should be discarded if they have come in contact with floodwaters because they cannot be disinfected.
Other Contaminated Items
Discard wooden cutting boards, plastic utensils, baby bottle nipples, and pacifiers. There is no way to safely clean them if they have come in contact with contaminated floodwaters. Thoroughly wash metal pans, ceramic dishes, and utensils with soap and hot water and sanitize them by boiling them in clean water or by immersing them for 15 minutes in a solution of 1/4 cup of household bleach per gallon of water.