- A boil water notice is issued for a public water supply when it is possible that drinking water has been contaminated by germs or pathogens that could cause illness. In such cases, you can kill these organisms by boiling your water for a full minute. You should use boiled or bottled water for drinking and cooking. You may also hear this referred to as a boil water order or advisory.
- If your community issues a do not drink notice, that means the water has probably been contaminated by chemicals, and you should not drink it at all. You can flush toilets, but for drinking and cooking use an alternate water source, such as bottled water. Boiling water does not eliminate chemicals and can actually increase exposure to those chemicals.
- If your community issues a do not use notice, that means you should not use the water for any purpose, including flushing toilets and bathing. Do not use advisories are rare, and may be issued when water contact with the skin, lungs, or eyes can be dangerous.
Make sure you understand and follow the instructions with any kind of drinking water notice in your area, and keep listening for updates from your local officials. For more detailed information on how to protect yourself and your family, seehttp://www.health.ny.gov/environmental/water/drinking/boilwater/