For immediate release: December 21, 2006 (06-210)

Contacts:
Leslie Gates, Office of Drinking Water 360-236-3098
Jeff Smith, Communications Office 360-236-4072

OLYMPIA ¾ During the recent storms, many families in western Washington lost their water when they lost their power. For people who use well water, power outages can create a loss of pressure and increase the chance of contamination in the water lines, especially if the water has run dry.

As power is restored, the Washington Department of Health advises people on individual wells to take steps to protect their families’ health before they begin using the water for drinking, cooking, and bathing.

Once power returns and the water is running again, turn on all cold-water taps in the house – sinks, bathtubs, showers – and let them run until the water is clear, or up to 30 minutes. Once the water runs clear, let it run for an additional five minutes.

If you have a storage tank, fill the tank completely, then run the water until it is clear. Continue to run the water for another ten minutes after it clears (or until least two storage tanks’ worth has been run through the taps).

If, after running the water for 30 minutes, it appears the water is not clearing up, boil it for three to five minutes before using it for drinking, brushing teeth, washing dishes or making ice. Keep using boiled water until your tap water runs clear. Bottled water is also an alternative.

If your water does not clear after running it for more than an hour, is very cloudy, or has an unusual odor, consider contacting the local health department laboratory to find out how to collect a sample for testing. Ask for a "coliform bacteria" test.

If the test shows no coliform bacteria, you may safely drink it.

For small public water systems, the Department of Health has several publications intended to help operators make safe choices about the water provided to their consumers. These can be found at the agency’s Web site (www.doh.wa.gov). More information about purifying drinking water is also available online (http://www.doh.wa.gov/phepr/handbook/purify.htm.).

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