**UPDATED**

91 public water systems under boil water advisory; Homeowners with private wells in flooded areas are cautioned

Health Officials Monitor Water Supplies in Storm’s Aftermath

Hartford – State health officials today announced that 91 small public drinking water systems in the state are under a boil water advisory. The Department of Public Health (DPH) is monitoring these systems and working to contact other small public drinking water systems to determine their status and offer assistance as needed. For a list of systems under a boil water advisory, please refer to the end of this press release. A current list of systems under a boil water advisory is available at www.ct.gov/dph/ (click on “Hurricane Irene: Important Health Information.”)

While some large public water supply systems in the state lost their normal power source, their water supply was not interrupted due to emergency power capabilities. DPH continues to monitor and provide assistance to these systems to ensure drinking water safety. 

“Safe drinking water is a top priority,” said Lori Mathieu, Chief of the DPH Drinking Water Section. “The vast majority of Connecticut residents are served by large drinking water systems, and we are fortunate that these large systems have not been disrupted by the storm. However, it’s important that residential customers served by systems that have issued a boil water advisory follow the guidance of their public water system.” 

Residential customers served by water systems under a boil water advisory should:

•       Safely boil their water by bringing it to a rolling boil for one minute. A rolling boil means that there are very large bubbles in the water, making the water move very quickly. Make sure the water does not have any floating pieces in it before you boil it. To make the boiled water taste better, pour the water back and forth between two clean containers a few times. Boiled water should be allowed to cool to a safe temperature before drinking or handling.
•       Use boiled or bottled water when cooking, washing fruits and vegetables, brushing teeth, or making baby formula. Boiled water should be allowed to cool to a safe temperature before drinking and handling.
•       Use water that has previously boiled and cooled to a safe temperature or bottled water to wash hands when cooking.
•      Adults and older children do not need to use boiled water to shower or bathe, but should try not to swallow any water or get any water into their mouths. Infants, toddlers, the elderly, and people with severely compromised immune systems should be bathed using water that has been previously boiled and cooled to a safe temperature or bottled water.

State health officials said that large systems serve a population of 2.6 million people. There are approximately 500 smaller community public water systems that each serve less than 1,000 people. 

Private Wells

Homeowners with private wells in flooded areas should consider their wells contaminated and disinfect their wells before resuming their use. Drilled wells located in well pits where groundwater tables have risen in the pit above the top of the well head and shallow wells are most at risk of contamination. Other indicators of contamination may include water discoloration or unusual taste or odor to your private water supply.

If you feel that your water supply may be contaminated, disinfection of the source followed by water sampling (both bacteriological & certain chemical parameters) is encouraged. If you notice any unusual changes to the water (color, taste or odor), precautionary measures should be taken such as using bottled water for drinking and cooking until water testing is done to find if contamination is present in the water supply.

You should also contact your local health department or the DPH Private Well Program at (860) 509-7296 for additional advice if necessary. Testing at the DPH laboratory is available through your local health department. To contact your local health department, go to www.ct.gov/dph/localhealth.

For more information on how to boil water or disinfect your private well, go to www.ct.gov/dph and click on “Hurricane Irene: Important Health Information.”

The Department of Public Health Drinking Water Section is responsible for the administration of state and federal drinking water regulations and is dedicated to assuring the quality and adequacy of the state’s public drinking water sources. DPH provides technical assistance, education and regulatory enforcement to over 2,600 public drinking water systems, which provide drinking water to approximately 2.9 million persons on a daily basis.

The Connecticut Department of Public Health is the state’s leader in public health policy and advocacy with a mission to protect and promote the health and safety of the people of our state.  To contact the department, please visit its website at www.ct.gov/dph or call (860) 509-7270.

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