Video: 5 things to know about drinking water during a flood
WQA Technical Affairs Director Eric Yeggy discusses five things to know about drinking water during flooding (Media have permission to use the audio on air or online)
LISLE, Ill. – The Water Quality Association warns that Hurricane Dorian poses a threat to drinking water for people along the Atlantic coast who will be affected by the storm, but precautions can be taken to protect residents.
“Our concern is for anyone who may be caught in the path of Dorian or who will be returning to their homes once the storm has passed,” said WQA Executive Director Pauli Undesser. “Residents should be aware of possible drinking water contamination as a result of massive flooding.”
Dorian already is a Category 4 storm expected to hit the Bahamas Saturday night. Forecasters say it could make landfall in the U.S. mainland anywhere between Florida and North Carolina in the next few days, and an estimated 20 million Americans are to be affected.
Atlantic Coast residents in the storm’s potential path already should have an adequate drinking water supply ready, said WQA Technical Affairs Director Eric Yeggy. The general rule of thumb is to have one gallon of drinking water per day for each individual in a home, or 12 gallons to last a family of four for three days.
Once the water supply has been compromised by flooding, passing water through home water treatment equipment not intended to purify microbiologically unsafe water would not provide sufficient assurance of potability. WQA recommends residents pay attention to local boil water alerts and other warnings following severe flooding because local water supplies can be tainted with debris, bacteria and other contaminants. Water treatment equipment will also need to be sanitized after flooding.
These tips and others from WQA are available at wqa.org/flood-resources. WQA’s Crisis Response blog, response.wqa.org, also offers up-to-the-minute news and tips for dealing with hurricanes and other emergencies.
WQA offers training and certification for professionals who can conduct testing and recommend appropriate remedies for specific contamination issues. WQA tests products for effectiveness, offering Gold Seal certification to those that meet independently established standards. To find a local water treatment professional or certified professional who can help choose the most effective products, visit wqa.org.
WQA is a not-for-profit trade association representing the residential, commercial, and industrial water treatment industry. WQA’s education and professional certification programs have been providing industry-standardized training and credentialing since 1977. The WQA Gold Seal certification program has been certifying products that contribute to the safe consumption of water since 1959. The WQA Gold Seal program is accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and the Standards Council of Canada (SCC).