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A boil water notice is issued by water utilities or health agencies as a precaution to protect consumers from drinking water that may have been contaminated with disease causing organisms (also called pathogens). Boil water notices are typically issued when an unexpected condition has caused a potential for biological contamination of water in a public water system.
Common reasons for a boil water notice include loss of pressure in the distribution system, loss of disinfection, and other unexpected water quality problems. These often result from other events such as water line breaks, treatment disruptions, power outages and floods.
The reason for your boil water notice should be included in the notification. Your water utility and your local Health Department office can also answer questions you may have about why a boil water notice was issued for your water supply, and what to do.
Public notification will be given when the boil water notice is lifted.
Once work has been completed as per AWWA standards, flushing of the affected areas has been completed, acceptable chlorine residuals have been measured and maintained, and most important, when two (2) consecutive acceptable sets of results, no less than 24 hours apart, are reported to Public Health (Government of New Brunswick).
Bring water to a FULL ROLLING BOIL for 1 MINUTE, then allow the water to COOL BEFORE USE. Because water may take 30 minutes to cool, plan ahead. Make up a batch of boiled water in advance so you will not be tempted to use it hot and risk scalds or burns. Boiled water may be used for drinking, cooking, and washing.
Here’s an easy way to remember…ROLL for ONE then COOL.
No. The Department of Health does not encourage residents to rely on home treatment units. It is recommended that you use boiled (and then cooled) water or an alternate source such as bottled.
Most in-home treatment devices are not designed to remove pathogens, and should not be relied on to protect you during a boil water event. Even treatment units that are designed to remove pathogens may not do so all the time unless they have been properly maintained.
Common home treatment devices that have limited or no ability to remove pathogens include: carbon filters; water softeners and other ion exchange units; sediment filters; chlorine removers; and aerators.
A properly operating reverse osmosis (RO) unit can remove pathogens, including viruses, bacteria and protozoa. However there are many units available to the public through hardware stores and elsewhere, not all of which can be relied upon to remove pathogens. Furthermore, RO units must be diligently maintained to assure effective treatment.
If you are at all uncertain of the capabilities of your reverse osmosis unit, do not rely on it to remove potentially harmful pathogens. Instead, you should use boiled (and then cooled) water or water from an acceptable alternate source.
Most of these units are not capable of removing pathogens, including viruses, bacteria, and protozoa. The few that are designed to do so may still require disinfection to address viruses and must be properly operated and diligently maintained to ensure effective treatment.
It is recommended that you use boiled (and then cooled) water or an alternate source such as bottled water.
Boiling and bottled water are the most reliable means to ensure safe potable water during a boil water event and should always be your first choices.
It is more protective to boil the water first, to prevent the potential for inadequate heating.
The cooking process should bring the water to a full rolling boil for at least one minute before adding the food item (for example, making pasta). If the water will be at a slight boil for a long time, then this will also be protective. For example, you may be cooking beans or boiling chicken for 10 – 20 minutes.
Fruits, vegetables, and any other foods that will not be cooked should be washed and rinsed with boiled (and then cooled) water or water from an acceptable alternate source.
Ice should be made with either boiled water or water from an acceptable alternate source.
No, not without precautions.
Any water used for baby food, formula, or making beverages must be boiled (and then cooled) or be from an acceptable alternate source.
Hand-washed dishes: No. Use boiled (then cooled) water, water from an alternate source, or after washing with dish detergent rinse for a minute in a diluted bleach solution (1 tablespoon of unscented bleach per gallon of water). Allow dishes, cutlery, cups, etc. to completely air dry before use.
Home dishwasher: Yes, if the hot wash is at least appropriate temperature and includes a full dry cycle. However, most home dishwashers do not reach this temperature. If you are uncertain of the temperature of your dishwasher, rinse in dilute bleach and completely air dry as described for hand washed dishes.
Commercial dishwasher: Yes, if it is a NSF listed washer and manufactured and operated with a heat sanitizing rinse set at 170°F that lasts for at least 30 seconds. Additional information on commercial dishwashers can be found in the fact sheets for food service establishments.
CAUTION: “Green” or “Environmentally Friendly” dish washer additives, which may be advertised as a disinfectant or anti-microbial, are weaker disinfectants and should not be relied on alone to eliminate potential pathogens.
Yes, unless a “Do Not Use” notification has been issued, it is safe to wash clothes in tap water as long as the clothes are completely dried before being worn. However, increased turbidity that sometimes occurs during a boil water event may discolor clothing, especially whites.
No. Any water you ingest or place in your mouth should be disinfected by boiling (and then cooled) or come from an alternate source. Bottled water is excellent for brushing your teeth.
Unless a “Do Not Use” notification has been issued, your water may be used by healthy individuals for showering, bathing, shaving, and washing as long as care is taken not to swallow water and avoid shaving nicks.
To minimize the chance of infections, people with open wounds, cuts, blisters or recent surgical wounds and people who are immunocompromised or suffer from chronic illness should use boiled water (then cooled) or water from an alternate source.
Children and disabled individuals should be supervised to ensure water is not ingested. Sponge bathing is advisable, and bathing time should be minimized to further reduce the potential for ingestion.
Generally, vigorous hand washing with soap and your tap water is safe for basic personal hygiene. If you are washing your hands to prepare food, you should use boiled (then cooled) water, bottled water, or water from another acceptable source for hand washing.
If a “Do Not Use” notification has been issued (as example, when sewage or chemical contamination is present), your water should not be used for any purpose, including personal hygiene. Only water from an acceptable alternate source should be used instead.
Hand sanitizing wipes alone are not enough, especially to clean your hands for making food. Alcohol based sanitizers work against some common germs (like E. coli, and Salmonella) but may not be effective for cryptosporidium and bacterium spores.
To be certain, give them water that has been boiled then cooled or water from an acceptable alternate source.
Many pets regularly drink some pretty bad water, but pets come in a wide variety with variable resistances to pathogens. Many pets are vulnerable to the same diseases that humans can get from contaminated water and can spread these diseases into the environment or pass them on to their owners. More specific information may be available from your veterinarian, based on the actual animal and conditions for the boil water notice.
There is no need to disinfect water used for flushing.
Unless a “Do Not Use” notice was issued, or a water conservation notice was issued along with the boil water notice, there is no restriction or concern about using your toilet.
The likelihood of becoming ill is low. However, illness is certainly possible, especially for people that have a chronic illness or may be immunocompromised. This is why boil water notices are issued.
Anyone experiencing symptoms of gastroenteritis, such as diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, with or without fever, should seek medical attention.
These symptoms are not unique to exposure to potential contaminants/organisms in the water, and a doctor’s involvement is key to identifying the cause of your illness. If your doctor suspects a waterborne illness, you may be asked to provide blood and/or stool samples.