What To Do During A Boil Water Notice

What to Do During a Boil Water Advisory

In an emergency situation where regular water service has been interrupted – like a hurricane, flood, or water pipe breakage – local authorities may recommend using only bottled water, boiled water, or disinfected water until regular water service is restored. The instructions below shows you how to boil and disinfect water to kill most disease-causing microorganisms that may be present in the water. However, boiling or disinfection will not destroy other contaminants, such as heavy metals, salts, and most other chemicals.

Qué hacer durante un aviso de hervir el agua

En una situación de emergencia en la que se interrumpió el servicio regular de agua, como un huracán, una inundación o la rotura de una tubería de agua, las autoridades locales pueden recomendar usar solo agua embotellada, agua hervida o agua desinfectada hasta que se restablezca el servicio regular de agua. Las instrucciones a continuación le muestran cómo hervir y desinfectar el agua para matar la mayoría de los microorganismos causantes de enfermedades que pueden estar presentes en el agua. Sin embargo, la ebullición o la desinfección no destruirán otros contaminantes, como metales pesados, sales y la mayoría de los demás productos químicos.

ONLY USE WATER THAT HAS BEEN PROPERLY DISINFECTED FOR DRINKING, COOKING, MAKING ANY PREPARED DRINK, WASHING DISHES, AND FOR BRUSHING TEETH.

UTILICE ÚNICAMENTE AGUA QUE HAYA SIDO CORRECTAMENTE DESINFECTADA PARA BEBER, COCINAR, PREPARAR CUALQUIER BEBIDA PREPARADA, LAVAR LOS PLATOS Y CEPILLARSE LOS DIENTES.

Boiling Water

To boil water

Fill a pot with water.
Heat the water until bubbles come from the bottom of the pot to the top.
Bring water to a rolling boil for at least one minute. At altitudes above 5,000 feet (1,000 meters), boil water for three minutes.
Turn off the heat source and let the water cool.
Pour the water into a clean container with a cover for storage.

Agua hirviendo

hervir agua

Llena una olla con agua.
Calienta el agua hasta que salgan burbujas desde el fondo de la olla hacia arriba.
Lleve el agua a ebullición durante al menos un minuto. En altitudes superiores a los 5000 pies (1000 metros), hierva el agua durante tres minutos.
Apague la fuente de calor y deje que el agua se enfríe.
Vierta el agua en un recipiente limpio con una tapa para el almacenamiento.
agua desinfectante
Si no puede hervir el agua, desinféctela.

Disinfecting water

If you are unable to boil your water, disinfect it instead.

If tap water is clear:

Use unscented bleach (bleach that does not have an added scent).
Add 1/8 teaspoon (8 drops or about 0.75 milliliters) of unscented household liquid bleach to 1 gallon
(16 cups) of water.
Mix well and wait 30 minutes or more before drinking.
Store disinfected water in clean container with a cover.

If tap water is cloudy:

Filter water using clean cloth.
Use unscented bleach (bleach that does not have an added scent).
Add 1/4 teaspoon (16 drops or 1.5 milliliters) of unscented household liquid bleach to 1 gallon (16 cups) of water.
Mix well and wait 30 minutes or more before drinking.
Store disinfected water in clean container with a cover.

Remember that containers may need to be sanitized before using them to store safe water.

Si el agua del grifo es clara:

Use lejía sin perfume (lejía que no tiene olor añadido).
Agregue 1/8 de cucharadita (8 gotas o alrededor de 0,75 mililitros) de blanqueador líquido doméstico sin perfume a 1 galón
(16 tazas) de agua.
Mezcle bien y espere 30 minutos o más antes de beber.
Guarde el agua desinfectada en un recipiente limpio con tapa.

Si el agua del grifo está turbia:

Filtre el agua con un paño limpio.
Use lejía sin perfume (lejía que no tiene olor añadido).
Agregue 1/4 de cucharadita (16 gotas o 1,5 mililitros) de blanqueador líquido doméstico sin perfume a 1 galón (16 tazas) de agua.
Mezcle bien y espere 30 minutos o más antes de beber.
Guarde el agua desinfectada en un recipiente limpio con tapa.
Recuerde que es posible que sea necesario desinfectar los recipientes antes de usarlos para almacenar agua potable.

To sanitize containers:

Use unscented bleach (bleach that does not have an added scent).
Make a sanitizing solution by mixing 1 teaspoon (5 milliliters) of unscented household liquid bleach in 1 quart (32 ounces, 4 cups, or about 1 liter) of water.
Pour this sanitizing solution into a clean storage container and shake well, making sure that the solution coats the entire inside of the container.
Let the clean storage container sit at least 30 seconds, and then pour the solution out of the container.
Let empty container air dry OR rinse it with clean water that has already been made safe, if available.

Never mix bleach with ammonia or other cleaners. Open windows and doors to get fresh air when you use bleach.

Para desinfectar los contenedores:

Use lejía sin perfume (lejía que no tiene olor añadido).
Prepare una solución desinfectante mezclando 1 cucharadita (5 mililitros) de lejía líquida doméstica sin perfume en 1 cuarto de galón (32 onzas, 4 tazas o aproximadamente 1 litro) de agua.
Vierta esta solución desinfectante en un recipiente de almacenamiento limpio y agítelo bien, asegurándose de que la solución cubra todo el interior del recipiente.
Deje reposar el recipiente de almacenamiento limpio durante al menos 30 segundos y luego vierta la solución fuera del recipiente.
Deje que el recipiente vacío se seque al aire O enjuáguelo con agua limpia que ya haya sido asegurada, si está disponible.

Nunca mezcle lejía con amoníaco u otros limpiadores. Abra las ventanas y las puertas para que entre aire fres

Water filters

Boil tap water even if it is filtered. Most kitchen and other household water filters typically do not remove bacteria or viruses.

Preparing and cooking food

Wash all fruits and vegetables with boiled water that has cooled or bottled water.
Bring water to a rolling boil for 1 minute before adding food to cook.
Use boiled water when preparing drinks, such as coffee, tea, and lemonade
Wash food preparation surfaces with boiled water.

Feeding babies and using formula

Breastfeeding is best. Continue to breastfeed. If breastfeeding is not an option:
Use ready-to-use baby formula, if possible.
Prepare powdered or concentrated baby formula with bottled water. Use boiled water if you do not have bottled water. Disinfect water for baby formula if you cannot boil your water (see above for directions on how to use bleach to disinfect water).
Wash and sterilize bottles and nipples before use.

If you cannot sterilize bottles, try to use single-serve, ready-to-feed bottles.

Ice

Do not use ice from ice trays, ice dispensers, or ice makers.
Throw out all ice made with tap water.
Make new ice with boiled or bottled water.

Bathing and showering

Be careful not to swallow any water when bathing or showering.

Use caution when bathing babies and young children. Consider giving them a sponge bath to reduce the chance of them swallowing water.

Brushing teeth

Brush teeth with boiled or bottled water. Do not use untreated tap water.

Washing dishes

Household dishwashers generally are safe to use if the water reaches a final rinse temperature of at least 150 degrees or if the dishwasher has a sanitizing cycle.
To wash dishes by hand:
Wash and rinse the dishes as you normally would using hot water.
In a separate basin, add 1 teaspoon of unscented household liquid bleach for each gallon of warm water.
Soak the rinsed dishes in the water for at least one minute.
Let the dishes air dry completely.

Laundry

It is safe to do laundry as usual.

Pets

Pets can get some of the same diseases as people. It is a good idea to give them boiled water that has been cooled.