Water, water everywhere and not a drop to drink!

One of the consequences of the heavy flooding that what we’ve experienced lately is the high probability of contamination of our water supply. Homes that have been totally submerged in flood waters means that water from bathrooms, toilets and sewage systems have become part of the flood waters and might have contaminated our drinking water making it unsafe for human consumption.  So what do we do? Here are some tips that you can do to disinfect drinking water (courtesy of the US Environmental Protection Agency):

Important : ONLY USE WATER THAT HAS BEEN PROPERLY DISINFECTED FOR DRINKING, COOKING, MAKING ANY PREPARED DRINK, OR FOR BRUSHING TEETH

1. Use bottled water that has not been exposed to flood waters if it is available.
2. If you don’t have bottled water, you should boil water to make it safe. Boiling water will kill most types of disease-causing organisms that may be present. If the water is cloudy, filter it through clean cloths or allow it to settle, and draw off the clear water for boiling. Boil the water for one minute, let it cool, and store it in clean containers with covers. You can also purchase water filters or make one yourself using a clean sock stuffed with charcoal and tie it with an elastic to filter water from your faucet.
3. If you can’t boil water, you can disinfect it using household bleach. Bleach will kill some, but not all, types of disease-causing organisms that may be in the water. If the water is cloudy, filter it through clean cloths or allow it to settle, and draw off the clear water for disinfection. Add 1/8 teaspoon (or 8 drops) of regular, unscented, liquid household bleach for each gallon of water, stir it well and let it stand for 30 minutes before you use it. Store disinfected water in clean containers with covers.
4. If you have a well that has been flooded, the water should be tested and disinfected after flood waters recede. If you suspect that your well may be contaminated, contact your local or provincial health department or agriculture extension agent for specific advice.

Things to remember:

1. Filter murky or colored water through clean cloths or allow it to settle. It is better to both settle and filter.
2. Boiling is the surest method to make water safe to drink and kill disease-causing microorganisms like Giardia lamblia and Cryptosporidium, which are frequently found in rivers and lakes.
3. To improve the flat taste of boiled water, 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.
4. When boiling is not practical, certain chemicals will kill most harmful or disease-causing organisms. Chlorine (in the form of unscented bleach) and iodine are the two chemicals commonly used to treat water.
5. You can use a non-scented, household chlorine bleach that contains a chlorine compound to disinfect water. (Remember, 1/8 teaspoon and 8 drops are about the same quantity.)
6. You can use tincture of iodine to disinfect filtered and settled water. Common household iodine from the medicine chest or first aid kit may be used to disinfect water.
7. Tincture of iodine. For cloudy water add ten drops and let the solution stand for at least 30 minutes.

With another storm approaching our country, I hope you can use this information to be better prepared in case another flooding happens. Stay safe, folks!