After a flood, food safety is very important. Food/drinking water and floods don't mix well so to be sure that you stay healthy, follow these tips.
- All food that has come in contact with flood water should be thrown out.
- Food and beverage containers with screw-caps, snap lids, crimped caps (soda bottles), twist caps, flip tops, and home canned foods should be thrown out if they come in contact with water for they cannot be disinfected.
- Also throw out wooden cutting boards, baby bottle nipples, and pacifiers. If you don't have bottled water, boil all the water that you drink or cook with.
- When boiling water for drinking purposes, allow it to boil for at least one minute. Water also may be disinfected with chlorine or iodine (follow package directions) or with ordinary household bleach- one-eighth teaspoon (about eight drops) per gallon of water. Sterilize water containers and drinking utensils with a solution of household bleach.