Flooding: Before & After
Restoring Vital Services — Purifying your water supply
Flood waters carry silt, raw sewage, oil and chemical wastes. The filth and disease organisms that flourish in flood waters may have been deposited anywhere. They contaminate water supplies, making them unsafe for human and animal use.
After a flood, consider all water sources contaminated until proven safe. Until your local water, utility or public health department declares your water source safe, you must purify all water that is used for drinking, cooking and for washing eating and cooking utensils, as well as the water used for washing hands, body and kitchen and bathroom surfaces.
Do not use water that has a dark color, an odor or floating material.
To disinfect water supply, use ONE of the following:
- Boil water vigorously for 10 minutes.
- Add 8 drops of liquid chlorine (household laundry) bleach per gallon of water. (Be sure the bleach contains 4 to 6 percent sodium hypochlorite as its only active ingredient.)
- Add 12 drops of tincture of iodine per gallon of water.
- Add water purification tablets (available at most drug and sporting goods stores) according to directions on package.
Thoroughly mix these solutions and let the water stand at least 30 minutes before using. To help eliminate the flat taste of boiled water, pour the water back and forth several times between two clean containers.
Remember, always use clean or purified water in washing any parts of the body — hands, feet, etc., that have come in contact with flood-contaminated surfaces. Follow this practice until your water supply has been declared safe.