WATER PREPARATION

Water supplies may become contaminated during a hurricane. The Public Health Department will issue a boil water order immediately after a hurricane passes. During this time, use only your pre-stored water or boil water. (Note: Pre-stored tap water will only be good for one week.)

Recipes for Pure Water

1. Strain water through a paper towel or several layers of thick cloths to remove dirt before purify ing; or let water settle in a container for 24 hours, so that solid particles sink to the bottom.

2. Use one of the following methods to purify the water:

BOILING: Boil water for ten minutes to kill any disease-causing micro-organisms.

CHEMICAL TREATMENT: Add one chlorine tablet (found in drug or sporting goods stores) for each quart of water to be purified. Add four water purification tablets per gallon of water, or add eight drops of chlorine bleach (without soap, lemon or other additives) per gallon of water.

IODINE: Add five drops of tincture of iodine to each quart of clear water (for cloudy water add ten drops), or add one iodine tablet for each quart of water to be purified.

3. Stir and let the solution stand for at least 30 minutes.

4. To improve the flat taste of boiled water, pour it back and forth from one container to another, let it stand for a few hours or add a pinch of salt for each quart boiled.

For more information, call the EPA Safe Drinking Water hotline at 1-800-426-4791.