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Jan 24, 2024

Houston boil water notice lifted: What to do at home now.

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John Beezley, of Bonham, carts out several cases of water after learning that a boil water notice was issued for the entire city of Houston on Sunday, Nov. 27, 2022, at Walmart on S. Post Oak Road in Houston. Beezley just arrived in town with his wife, who is undergoing treatment starting tomorrow at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, where they are staying in a camping trailer. They turned on the television after settling in and saw that a boil water notice had been issued. Beezley decided to go out immediately fearing that by tomorrow people would be buying up all of the available water.

The East Water Purification Plant after a boil water notice was issued for the entire city of Houston on Monday, Nov. 28, 2022, in Houston.

John Beezley, of Bonham, buys cases of water after learning that a boil water notice was issued for the entire city of Houston on Sunday, Nov. 27, 2022, at Walmart on S. Post Oak Road in Houston. Beezley just arrived in town with his wife, who is undergoing treatment starting tomorrow at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, where they are staying in a camping trailer. They turned on the television after settling in and saw that a boil water notice had been issued. Beezley decided to go out immediately fearing that by tomorrow people would be buying up all of the available water.

People buy bottled water after a boil water notice was issued for the entire city of Houston on Sunday, Nov. 27, 2022, at Walmart on S. Post Oak Rd. in Houston.

Houston's boil water notice was lifted on Tuesday. The notice was issued for Houston Sunday after a power outage knocked down water pressure in the city's primary water system. This meant that all water consumed by residents and pets should have been boiled to kill potential bacteria.

Here's a quick look at what to do after a boil water notice is lifted, including flushing home water lines and more.

RELATED: Houston's boil water notice lifted after sample approval from TCEQ

Once boil water notices are lifted, flush home plumbing systems by running cold water through all faucets for at least five minutes. Residents should also flush out all appliances connected to the water line, such as refrigerators and dishwaters. Any disposable filtration system that may have come in contact with contaminated water should be discarded or replaced. StateFoodSafety recommends that ice from ice makers should be dumped and replaced three times before use.

The boil notice includes water used for cooking, brushing your teeth, preparing baby formula, preparing food or given to pets for drinking. Even water used for hot beverages, like coffee made with a coffee maker, should be boiled beforehand. It's also a good idea to throw away any ice that may have been contaminated.

Contamination most often occurs when a pipe bursts, there are issues with local water treatment facilities and during severe weather or natural disasters. When these events happen, the water supply is exposed sewage and other dangerous bacteria; by consuming it, people and their pets become at risk for diarrhea, cholera, Giardia, Salmonella infections and E. coli infections.

Even filtered water should be boiled. It's unsafe to use water from any appliance including water or ice from a refrigerator or other filtration devices.

If bottled water is unavailable, here's how to boil water at home before use:

In most situations, tap water is safe for hand-washing. The Center for Disease Control recommends scrubbing hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, and then rinsing again under running water. If soap and water are unavailable, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60-percent alcohol.

Take caution not to swallow any water when bathing or showering. Sponge baths are a good alternative for bathing young children and babies to reduce their chances of swallowing water.

Breast feeding is the safest option for feeding infants; ready-to-use formulas are also recommended, if available. Be sure to sterilize all baby bottles with boiled water before use.

Untreated tap water is unsafe for brushing teeth. Use boiled or bottled water instead.

Most household dishwashers are safe if the water reaches a final rinse temperature of at least 150 degrees Fahrenheit. Best practices suggest using the sanitization cycle on dishwashers with that setting.

Here are the CDC's recommendations for washing dishes by hand:

Washing machines are typically safe to wash clothing. To clean surfaces, use boiled water or water that been disinfected with bleach.

Tap water is generally safe for household plants and gardens.

During an extended power outage, water can be boiled outside over a propane or charcoal grill. Another option is to boil water in a fireplace using a pot, as you would over a campfire.