The City of Austin’s water utility has issued a city-wide boil water notice, as it struggles with the impact of debris from flooding on its water treatment capabilities.
Here are some frequently asked questions from Austin Water: To ensure destruction of all harmful bacteria and other microbes, water for drinking, cooking and for making ice should be boiled and cooled prior to consumption.
State laws require that a Boil Water Notice be issued if a water system has (or could have) become contaminated from water main breaks, loss of system pressure, or results of routine sampling in the system.
Bring all water to a rolling boil for at least three minutes, and let it cool before using, or use bottled water.
Boiled or bottled water should be used for drinking, making ice, brushing teeth, washing dishes, food preparation, and water for pets.
Boiling kills harmful bacteria and other organisms in the water that may cause illness.
You should throw away ice made during the time the notice was issued (freezing does not kill bacteria).
Only use boiled or bottled water for cooking, making ice, washing fruits and vegetables, and making baby formula.
If you don’t have bottled water, use water that has been rapidly boiled for at least three minutes.
How long will depend on the conditions that caused the need to boil, how quickly the conditions are corrected, and how long it takes for laboratory results to confirm it is safe to return to normal water use.