Access to safe and potable water remains a top concern in Western North Carolina in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.
Currently, approximately 160 boil water advisories remain in effect and 27 water plants are closed and not producing water. The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is sharing guidance on actions people can take to ensure water is safe and to prevent waterborne disease or illness after the storm.
Identify Safe Water
In disaster-impacted areas, particularly those that have experienced flooding, drinking water may not be available or safe to drink. It is critical that people do not use contaminated water to drink, wash and prepare food, make ice, prepare baby formula, wash dishes, brush teeth or wash hands.
- Do not use contaminated well water. Floods can damage drinking water wells and lead to contamination. Floodwater can contaminate well water with livestock waste, human sewage, chemicals and other contaminants that can lead to illness when used for drinking, bathing and other hygiene activities. Dug wells, bored wells and wells less than 50 feet deep are more likely to be contaminated, even if damage is not apparent.
- Do not use water from heating systems. Water from radiators or boilers that are part of a home heating system should never be used as potable water.
- Use only bottled, boiled or treated water for drinking, cooking and personal hygiene. For specific advisories or recommendations regarding boiling or treating water in your area, look for information from your local health department, tribal agency or local media channels.
Boil Water to Prevent Disease or Illness
If you do not have safe bottled water, boil your water to make it safe to drink. Boiling is the best way to kill germs in water. If the water is cloudy, first filter it through a clean cloth, paper towel or coffee filter. Another option is to let any particles in the water settle to the bottom, then draw off the clear water for boiling.
Next, bring the clear water to a rolling boil for one minute (at elevations above 6,500 feet, boil for three minutes). Let the boiled water cool, and then store the boiled water in clean, sanitized containers with tight covers. As a reminder, do not use gas appliances in an enclosed space to boil water as this increases the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.
During a boil water advisory, you should use bottled water or boiled water to do the following:
- Drinking and cooking
- Brushing teeth
- Cleaning (such as washable toys and surfaces)
- Caring for pets
Be careful not to swallow any water when bathing and showering and consider giving babies and children a sponge bath to reduce the chances of them swallowing water. If possible, use disposable plates, cups, and utensils during a boil water advisory. All infant feeding items should be sanitized by using a sanitizing cycle in the dishwasher, boiling them, using steam, or cleaning carefully with a diluted bleach solution.
Ensure Well Water is Safe
If extensive flooding has occurred, do not drink well water. Listen to your local health authorities for advice on using well water for showering and bathing. Use water reserves, bottled water or boiled water until your well water has been tested and deemed safe for use.
After a flood, the following steps can help ensure your well is safe for use:
- Do not turn on the electricity to your pump until flood waters recede.
- Contact a driller if you think your well will need service immediately after the flood. Find a list of certified well contractors.
- If you haven’t already, find a nearby water testing lab to obtain sample collection bottles and instructions for bacterial contamination. You cannot see, taste or smell bacterial contamination in your well. The NC State Laboratory of Public Health provides free well water sampling kits and testing, and often, your local health department can test your water. If there is not a health department near you, your county extension agent can help you find a lab.
- If you live near animal feeding operations, agricultural fields where pesticides are applied or industrial chemical factories, you should contact your local health department for additional testing, especially if you smell fuel or chemicals in your water.
- It is strongly recommended to call your local health department or licensed well driller to shock chlorinate the well if it has been flooded. A water well driller will have access to more effective products and will have equipment and experience that a typical well owner will not have. Find more information about well water and health.
Find comprehensive information about ensuring water is safe after an emergency or natural disaster on the CDC’s website.
Written by the NC Department of Health and Human Services.