How
to Understand a Boil Water Notice
What
is a Boil Water Notice?
It's a
notification that advises residents to boil their tap
water
used
for consumption (drinking, cooking, making ice, etc.)
because
their water may be contaminated.
A Boil
Water Notice is in effect until laboratory results
show
that water is safe from bacterial contamination.
The
tests usually take 24 hours to complete.
Bathing, washing clothes or dishes and other activities
where
water is used externally, should not pose a health risk.
When is a Boil Water Notice issued?
Because
delivering clean water is the business of Southwest
Water
they
adhere to stringent water quality testing and monitoring
requirements to ensure that every drop of water
delivered to your
home or
business meets or exceeds state and federal health and
safety standards. They back their commitment of
maintaining high water quality standards by dedicating
the necessary human and technological
resources
to quality assurance programs.
Sometimes,
however, there is a possibility that your water has
become
susceptible to contamination. The occurrences listed
below may
increase the risk of contaminants entering the
drinking
water treatment and distribution system:
A. |
A
water system completely loses water pressure or
the
pressure goes below 20 psi. (pounds per square
inch) |
B. |
A
pipeline breaks. |
C. |
A
distribution system interruption takes place.
(whether planned or as a result or man-made
or
natural disasters, such as hurricanes) |
D. |
Water samples indicate the
presence of waterborne pathogens. |
E. |
A
cross-connection is discovered that
may
have contaminated the water supply |
F. |
Increased run-off enters the drinking water
source.
(e.g. following heavy rains) |
When they
issue a Boil Water Notice, testing has generally
not yet
been conducted to confirm or deny the presence of
contamination in your water. Sometimes, the chances of
water contamination are remote, but we don't want to
take any chances
with your
family's health. Southwest Water takes protection
of public
health very seriously. In most cases, issuing a
Boil Water
Notice is a precautionary measure
for the
safety of our customers.
What
should you do?
Do not
consume your water without boiling it first.
Use boiled
or bottled water for drinking, making ice
brushing
teeth, and food preparation until further notice.
To ensure
destruction of all harmful bacteria and other microbes
that might
be present, a boil water notice will advise you to boil
water used
for drinking, cooking, and ice making. Bring water to a
vigorous, rolling boil and then boil for two minutes
(don't
forget to cool the water before consuming it).
In lieu of
boiling, you may purchase bottled water
or obtain
water from some other suitable source.
How
much does boiling water accomplish?
According
to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA),
boiling is
considered the most effective and the safest method
of water
disinfection. You may find that boiled water tastes
rather flat.
To get rid
of the blandness, aerate it by pouring it back and forth
from one
container to another and allow it to stand for a few
hours
or add a
pinch of salt for each quart or liter of water boiled.
What does Southwest Water
do when there is a Boil
Water Notice?
They
are
required to collect samples from the water source
(e.g. a
well), the original site where contamination may have
been
found, as
well as upstream and downstream of that point, and get
them
tested for any continuing contamination before we can
declare
the water
clean. Only after satisfactory lab results and, under
certain circumstances, an approval from the state's
regulatory agency
can we
then lift a Boil Water Notice.
How does Southwest Water
notify customers that a
Boil
Water Notice is issued?
Water
utilities are required to notify you by newspaper,
radio, TV,
hand-delivery or any combination of the above if
your water
doesn't meet EPA or state standards
or if
there is a waterborne disease emergency.
They will
use the same method to notify you
that your
Boil Water Notice was rescinded.
All Notices
will be posted to
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