Got a water notice? What to do
Your utility's notice is the official instruction. Follow it first. This page explains what the three kinds of notice mean and answers the usual questions.
This site uses EPA's quarterly national data, so it can't show whether a notice is in effect today. For a current notice, check your utility's website or call the number on your water bill. Each utility page here lists the phone number EPA has on file and any past violations that required an urgent notice.
The three kinds of notice
| Notice | Usually means | Drinking and cooking |
|---|---|---|
| Boil water | Germs may have got into the water: a main break, pressure loss, a treatment failure or bacteria found in a sample. | Boil water for 1 minute, or use bottled water. |
| Do not drink | A chemical problem, such as nitrate above the limit or a spill. Boiling won't help and can make some chemicals more concentrated. | Bottled water only. |
| Do not use | Contamination that is unsafe even to touch, usually a chemical spill. Rare. | Bottled water only. Don't bathe or wash in tap water. |
During a boil water notice
- Drinking, cooking and ice: use water brought to a rolling boil for 1 minute (3 minutes above 6,500 feet) and cooled, or bottled water. Throw out ice and drinks made with tap water since the problem started.
- Baby formula: use bottled water, cooled boiled water, or ready-to-feed formula. If you're unsure, ask your pediatrician.
- Brushing teeth: boiled or bottled water.
- Washing fruit and vegetables: boiled or bottled water.
- Showering and bathing: usually fine, but don't swallow the water. Sponge-bathe babies and young children.
- Washing hands: soap and tap water is usually fine. Follow the notice if it says otherwise.
- Dishes: a dishwasher with a hot or sanitize cycle is usually fine. If washing by hand, rinse dishes in water with a little unscented household bleach (about 1 teaspoon per gallon) and let them air-dry.
- Pets: give them boiled (cooled) or bottled water too.
- Can't boil? Household bleach can disinfect water in an emergency. EPA's instructions give the amounts.
- Filters: pitcher, faucet and refrigerator filters are not designed to remove bacteria and viruses. Don't use one instead of boiling.
During a do-not-drink or do-not-use notice
- Use bottled water for drinking, cooking, formula, ice, brushing teeth and pets.
- Don't boil the water to try to make it safe. Boiling doesn't remove chemicals. With nitrate it makes the water worse.
- Nitrate notices matter most for babies under 6 months: high nitrate can cause "blue baby syndrome". Never mix formula with that water.
- Under a do-not-use notice, don't bathe, shower or wash dishes or clothes with tap water until the utility says it's safe.
After the notice is lifted
- Flush your pipes: run all cold water taps for several minutes, starting with the top floor. Your utility's notice may give an exact time.
- Ice makers: throw out the ice and the next few batches.
- Filters: replace refrigerator and other filter cartridges that were used during the notice.
- Water heater and appliances: follow your utility's advice. Some recommend flushing water heaters, water softeners and humidifiers.
Who to contact
- Your utility for the notice itself, when it will end and what caused it. The number is on your water bill. Each utility page on this site also lists the one in EPA's records.
- Your state drinking water program if you can't reach the utility or have a question it can't answer.
- Your doctor if you think someone got sick from the water, especially babies, older people, pregnant people or anyone with a weak immune system.
Utilities must issue the most urgent notices ("Tier 1") within 24 hours under EPA's Public Notification Rule. Utility pages on this site flag past violations that required one.
Questions
How long do I boil water during a boil water notice?
Bring the water to a full rolling boil for 1 minute (3 minutes above 6,500 feet), then let it cool. Store it in clean, covered containers.
Can I shower during a boil water notice?
Usually yes, but don't swallow the water. Give babies and young children a sponge bath so they don't swallow any. Follow your utility's notice if it says otherwise.
Can I use a water filter instead of boiling?
Don't rely on one. Pitcher, faucet and refrigerator filters are not made to remove bacteria and viruses. Boil the water or use bottled water until the utility lifts the notice.
Does boiling make water safe during a do-not-drink notice?
No. Do-not-drink notices are for chemical problems such as nitrate or a spill, and boiling does not remove chemicals. For nitrate it concentrates them. Use bottled water.
What should I do when the boil water notice is lifted?
Flush your pipes by running all cold water taps for several minutes, throw out ice made during the notice, and replace filter cartridges. Follow your utility's specific flushing instructions.
Sources: EPA, emergency disinfection of drinking water · EPA, Public Notification Rule. This page is general guidance, not medical advice. Your utility's notice and your health department's instructions come first.