December 30, 2015

FLOOD INFORMATION SHEET

Alert to Private Well Owners in Flooded Areas

Contact:

Crystal Steele 850-892-8021 Crystal.Steele@flhealth.gov

The Florida Department of Health in Walton County advises private well owners affected by flood waters to take precautions against disease-causing organisms that may make water unsafe to drink.

DOH recommends one of the following:

 Boil water before use, holding it at rolling boil for at least one minute before using it for drinking, brushing teeth, washing food, cooking, or washing dishes.

 Disinfect water by adding 8 drops (about 1/8 tsp – this would form a puddle about the size of a dime) of plain, unscented household bleach (4 to 6 percent active ingredient) per gallon of water, and then let it stand for 30 minutes. If the water is cloudy after 30 minutes, repeat the procedure once. Use a container that has a cap or cover for disinfecting and storing water to be used for drinking. This will prevent contamination.

 Use bottled water, especially for mixing baby formula.

After the flooding subsides:

 Disinfect your well using the procedures provided by your county or state health department: https://www.floridahealth.gov/environmental-health/private-welltesting/index.html. You may also visit the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s website for instructions: http://water.epa.gov/drink/info/well/whatdo.cfm.

 If available, have your water tested through your county health department or by a laboratory certified by the state to perform a drinking water analysis for coliform bacteria.

For more information, please contact the Florida Department of Health in Walton County at (850) 892-8021 or visit www.floridahealth.gov or www.FloridaDisaster.org

About the Florida Department of Health

The department works to protect, promote and improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county and community efforts.

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