What You Should Do During a Boil Water Advisory

A boil water advisory occurs when local health officials require people to avoid drinking any water from the town’s water supply due to the risk of contamination. Unless you boil water for a minute or longer, water from the faucet isn’t safe to consume. If this occurs in your town, there are some important things you should do during a boil water advisory to keep you safe.

Drinking Water

The most important rule during a boil water advisory is to avoid drinking water from the faucet unless you boil it first. Bring the water to a boil for one minute or longer. After letting it cool, you can safely drink the water! If you don’t have time to boil water and have plastic water bottles accessible to you, that is also an excellent option!

If you have children, keep a close eye on them. It’s a habit for people of all ages to turn on the faucet and believe the water is safe. But in the case of a boil order, watch your children closely to ensure they don’t drink water directly from the faucet.

Water Filters

Water filters will not remove harmful bacteria or viruses. Don’t use any water or ice dispensed from your fridge because it comes directly from the pipes that may contain contaminated water. Remove all ice from the fridge and wait until the boil advisory ends before you restart your ice machine.

Cooking

Another thing you should do during a water boil advisory is boil any water for one minute or longer before cooking. When you do this, it’s completely safe to cook! This may be an additional step to your cooking process, but it’s a must during these conditions.

Cleaning Dishes

Sometimes, it’s easiest to use disposable dishes and cutlery during this time, especially if the boil order will last for several days. Dishwashers can be safe to use, but ensure the final rinse reaches at least 150 degrees Fahrenheit. Afterward, place the dishwasher on a sanitizing cycle.

Showers and Baths

You can take a shower and a bath, but you should proceed with caution. You don’t want to swallow any of the water in the process. You should also try to avoid getting excessive amounts of water in your eyes.

If you have very young children, give them a gentle sponge bath to ensure the water doesn’t reach their eyes or mouth.

Brush Your Teeth

Don’t use water from the faucet to brush your teeth. You want to refrain from ingesting any potentially contaminated water at all costs. Instead, use water bottles or water you boiled previously.

While a residential water filtration system won’t protect your water supply during a boil water advisory, it will keep your family safe every other day of the year. Filter out all the unwanted bacteria and chemicals water contains so that you can trust the water you and your loved ones consume is fully clean!