Water contaminated? Under an advisory? Here’s how to navigate safely
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Cases of environmental contamination have been frequently in the news as of late. Most recently, a pipe failure from a Pennsylvanian manufacturing facility caused an estimated 8,100 gallons of a latex polymer solution to spill into Otter Creek, a tributary of the Delaware River. The Delaware River is one of the sources of drinking water for Philadelphia. Due to the contamination, the city’s water department advised residents who receive their water from the Baxter treatment plant to buy bottled water as a precaution. The water was soon deemed safe to drink.
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While a crisis was avoided in Philadelphia, the scare brings to attention the need to have a plan in place if a location’s water supply is compromised. Whether you’re dealing with flooding that affects a treatment plant or a chemical spill, here’s a primer on water contamination and how to navigate various situations.
What to know about water advisories
Not all water advisories mean the same thing—different levels of contamination call for different levels of prudence when using tap water.
Boil water advisory
A boil water advisory is associated with the lowest level of water contamination. It is called when tap water contains enough germs or chemicals to make you sick, but not enough to the point where said containments can’t be boiled away.
“Boiling kills bugs,” says Reviewed Chief Scientist, Dave Ellerby. “It doesn’t fix chemical contamination. Boil advisories apply if water is contaminated with bacteria. Do not drink and do not use advisories come into play when chemicals are the problem.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), water for drinking or brushing teeth should only be considered usable if from a prepacked bottle or after it’s been thoroughly boiled during a boil water advisory. Non-boiled tap water can be used for laundry, washing dishes and bathing.
Do not drink advisory
During a do not drink advisory, water will be contaminated to the point where it shouldn’t be used in any way that risks ingestion, even after boiling. “Under a do not drink order, you may still be able to use water for washing hands, showering and flushing the toilet, but pay close attention to the instructions you’re given. The biggest challenge is remembering situations where you’re not actively drinking the water but could still consume it. Use clean water to wash dishes, cook and brush your teeth. Also, don’t use ice from your fridge,” advises Ellerby.
Do not use advisory
A do not use advisory is the most extreme water advisory. "[They] are rare and cover contaminations that are so dangerous you shouldn’t be exposed to the water supply in any form. There’s no room for confusion here; any water you use must come from a clean source.”
Ellerby says even after an advisory is lifted, there is still work to be done such as running your faucets to clear out the contaminated water from your pipes.
What to do if water is contaminated
Tap water that cannot be used is inconvenient, to say the least. However, there are ways around it to carry on with your daily activities. While you may be able to push off showering for a day or two, you don’t want to go without drinking water and risk becoming dehydrated. Here are some ways to go about your business while staying hydrated and clean.
1. Use bottled water
Bottled water will be your best friend during water advisories. Whether you're under a boil water advisory or a do not drink advisory, the safest water you can drink will be from a pre-packaged water bottle, as it doesn't come from your tap. The highest-rated case of water bottles on Amazon is the Alpine Spring Water case. This is the most cost-effective case you can buy on Amazon and reviewers love the water's refreshing taste.
2. Boil your water
During boil and do not drink advisories, you'll be able to safely use your tap water as long as you boil it prior. There are two main ways to go about boiling water, each with advantages and disadvantages. You can use a kettle or a pot.
A kettle is convenient in that, thanks to its whistle, you'll know the moment that your water is ready to consume even if you're away from it. Thanks to the spigot, you'll be able to pour the water into containers easily. Due to their small size and induction, they heat up easily, though this means you'll be able to boil less water at once. If you're going the kettle route, we recommend our favorite kettle, the Susteas Stovetop Whistling Tea Kettle. It heats quickly, is easy to use and safe to use when hot.
A pot will have a much higher capacity, but it will take longer to bring water to a boil and it's a bit ungainly to pour water from. The best pot you can buy is the Cook N Home 4-Piece Stainless Steel Pasta Cooker thanks to its huge 12-quart capacity and glass lid that lets you view your water to monitor its boiling level.
3. Try a LifeStraw
Another way to safely drink water during an advisory is to use a high-quality filter such as that by LifeStraw. This straw is designed to filter bacteria, parasites and microplastics from water. It can serve as a good option if you don't have access to boiled water or water bottles. That said, due to the size of the filter, it can't effectively filter chemicals or viruses. Thus, it shouldn't be used for do not drink or do not use advisories. To purify more water at a time, the brand also makes the nifty filter in a 10-cup water pitcher.
4. Use soaps and detergents
While boil advisories and do not drink advisories allow for use of water in cleaning, quality soap and detergent will go a long way in making sure your belongings are clean even after being washed with contaminated water.
The best dish soap we've tested is Dawn Ultra, as it cleans tough stains and has a pleasant, fruity fragrance. To not have to deal with washing dishes at all, consider buying these biodegradable paper plates. Don’t let their appearance fool you—many reviewers attest to their sturdiness.
If you're doing laundry, consider using the best laundry detergent we've tested, Persil ProClean. We love it because it boasts the best stain removal of all the detergents we tested. For hand washing, we recommend trying out Softsoap Moisturizing Liquid Hand Soap. It has over 77,800 five-star reviews on Amazon with reviewers loving that it moisturizes hands and leaves them smelling great.
5. Bathe without water
During a do not use advisory, you should avoid using tap water altogether. You might want to consider foregoing bathing using your tap water even during a do not drink advisory, as you may accidentally ingest some of the water. Fortunately, there are ways to keep up with your hygiene without using any water, freeing up your bottled water for other tasks.
Epic Wipes are a good way to wipe off sweat and grime without using a drop of water. Better yet, they’re completely biodegradable. With a 4.8 average rating on Amazon, many can attest to these jumbo wipes’ effectiveness.
If you’re worried about keeping your hair clean during a water advisory, have no fear. We’ve tested several dry shampoos and found that Dove Volume & Fullness Dry Shampoo gets the job done of keeping your hair clean without much residue or weight.
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