Boil Water Advisory

What is a Boil Water Advisory?

A Boil Water Advisory is a preventative measure issued to protect the health of the community from water borne infectious agents. A Boil Water Advisory is issued only after careful consideration among representatives from public health, regulatory agencies and municipal departments.

What should I do under a Boil Water Advisory?

Create a supply of water for cooking, drinking and tooth brushing.

  1. Bring the water to a rolling boil for 3 minutes. Timing starts when the water starts to bubble.
  2. Cool the water then place in clean containers for use or refrigerate.

Hot soapy water can be used for dishwashing and kitchen/bathroom surface cleaning. As a precaution, add one tablespoon of bleach per gallon.

Laundry water does not need to be treated. Unless otherwise noted, water for showering does not need to be treated.

If the water is not safe for drinking because of germs (bacteria, viruses or parasites), good hand washing with soap and water should be followed up with hand disinfection with alcohol based disinfectant.