How to keep safe if you receive a boil water notice

HOW TO KEEP SAFE IF YOU RECEIVE A BOIL WATER NOTICE Protect your health during a boil water notice. What is a boil water notice? A boil water noƟce is sent by a public water system to its customers when certain bacteria are found in the drinking water or if the water pressure is too low. In both of these situaƟons, drinking water may be unsafe. A boil water noƟce lets people know that they need to take steps to protect themselves unƟl the problem is fixed. What should you do? Don’t use your tap water for drinking or food preparaƟon! Use saf e , clean water unƟl your public water system tells you that your tap water is safe to use. Examples of safe water: commercially boƩled water, water you boiled for one minute, water from a source that does not have a bacteria problem, and packaged ice from an approved source Talk to your doctor if you or a family member has symptoms that you think may be from your drinking water. FLIP OVER for more informaƟon about these recommendaƟons. BUREAU OF ENVIRONMENTAL AND OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH STATE OF WISCONSIN | DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH SERVICES | DIVISION OF PUBLIC HEALTH hƩps://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov | March 2017 | dhsenvhealth@wi.gov | P-44589 (03/2017) Use safe water until your public water system tells you that your tap water is safe to use.  Examples of safe water:  Commercially boƩled water  Packaged ice from an approved source  Water you boiled for one minute  Water from a different water system that does not have a bacteria problem  SaniƟze containers. Make sure that containers are saniƟzed before using them to carry and store safe water.  What should you use safe water for?  Drinking, cooking, and making baby formula, coffee, juices, other beverages, or ice  Washing uncooked fruits and vegetables  Bathing infants  Brushing teeth  Washing open cuts or wounds  Rinsing dishes  Giving water to pets  Washing hands Talk to your doctor if you or a family member has symptoms that you think may be from your drinking water.  Common symptoms include diarrhea, stomach cramps, nausea, vomiƟng, and fever.  Elderly people, infants, small children, and people with weak immune systems are more likely to get sick from germs in drinking water. These individuals should talk to their doctor for more advice. Don’t use your tap water for drinking or food preparation!  Throw out any drinks or ice that were made with tap water before the noƟce came out.  It is okay to use tap water for:  Bathing or showering (except for infants).  Making saniƟzing soluƟon to saniƟze dishes and water storage containers (see instrucƟons at right).  Washing dishes in automaƟc dishwashers that have a saniƟzing or heated dry cycle.  Doing laundry.  Watering lawns and plants. SaniƟzing soluƟon is used to make sure that dishes and water storage containers don’t have harmful germs that can make you sick. To make saniƟzing soluƟon: Mix one teaspoon of 5.25% unscented bleach with one gallon of clear, non-cloudy tap water. How to saniƟze dishes or water storage containers: Soak dishes or containers in saniƟzing soluƟon for one minute, then let the items air dry. How to make and use sanitizing solution Contact your local public health agency: hƩps://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/lh-depts/counƟes.htm Contact your Department of Natural Resources Regional Office or go to hƩp://dnr.wi.gov/topic/drinkingwater/ Visit the Department of Health Services website: hƩps://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/water/index.htm For more information about safe drinking water: