Boil Water Advisory

General Procedures

• Do not serve or consume:

• water that has not been disinfected,

• ice or drinks made with water that has not been disinfected, or

raw foods rinsed with water that has not been disinfected.

• Discontinue service of equipment with water line connections (e.g., beverage machines, ice machines, fresh brewed tea makers, hand sinks, dish sinks, veggie sinks, instant hot water heaters, etc.).

• Discard ice made prior to the boil water advisory issuance and discontinue making ice. Use commercially-manufactured ice.

• All employees with diarrheal illness should be regulated by standard rules of exclusion from work.

Drinking Water

• For drinking water, use:

• Commercially-bottled water and/or Water that has been disinfected for Cryptosporidium by:

• Boiling at a rolling boil for 1 minute (at altitudes greater than 6,562 feet (>2,000 m), boil water for 3 minutes), and/or

• Distilled

Cooking and Food Preparation

• For cooking and food preparation:

• Discard any ready-to-eat food prepared with water prior to the discovery of the water contamination.

• Prepare/cook ready-to-eat food using the drinking water alternatives listed above and/or restrict the menu to items that do not require water.

• For equipment/utensils/tableware in cooking and food preparation:

• Use single service/use articles. and/or

• Clean and sanitize equipment/utensils/tableware using the drinking water alternatives listed above. Follow the established procedures to wash, rinse, and sanitize.

• Cryptosporidium on equipment/utensils/tableware may be disinfected using dishwashing machines that have a dry cycle that exceeds 113°F for 20 minutes or 122°F for 5 minutes or 162°F for 1 minute. And/or

• Final rinse that exceeds 113°F for 20 minutes or 122°F for 5 minutes or 162°F for 1 minute.

• Discontinue operations when inventories of clean equipment/utensils/tableware are exhausted.

Handwashing

• For handwashing: 

• Wet hands with the drinking water alternatives listed above and apply liquid, bar, or powder soap.

• Rub hands together vigorously for 20 seconds, making sure to lather and scrub all surfaces, including backs of hands, wrists, between fingers, and under fingernails.

• Rinse hands well with bottled water poured on the hands by another person.

• Dry hands with paper towels or an air dryer.

• Use the paper towels to turn off the faucet, if applicable.