A boil water notice is issued when total coliform bacteria are detected in the water system. Coliforms can indicate the presence of potentially harmful bacteria.

The presence of total coliform triggers testing for E. coli bacteria. Results from the repeated bacterial testing are returned after 24 hours.

Consumers are instructed to vigorously boil all town water for one minute or use bottled water for any human or pet consumption.

This should kill any disease-causing organisms that may be present in the water. The notice includes these uses:

• Drinking, including for pets.
• Ice making.
• Teeth brushing.
• Food preparation. 

Infants and Pregnant Women

When possible, pregnant women and infants under 6 months should use an alternate water supply, such as bottled water. Boiling water concentrates any levels of nitrates that may be present in the water.

Filter Systems

Boil your water if you have a filter system on your faucet or refrigerator. Most point-of-use filters do not remove harmful bacteria. They are designed to improve the aesthetics of water ― taste and odor.

Water is safe for bathing and washing clothes. 

Handwashing

For basic personal hygiene, vigorous hand-washing with soap and tap water is safe.

For food preparation, wash hands with soap one of two ways:

• With boiled (then cooled) water or bottled water.
• With tap water, followed by hand sanitizer. 

Dishwashing

If possible, use disposable plates, cups and utensils.

Sanitize all baby bottles. See the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's page on infant feeding items.

Dishwashers are generally safe to use if they have a sanitizing cycle or reach a final rinse temperature of at least 150°F. Check the dishwasher manual or contact the manufacturer to find out the temperature reached.

To wash dishes by hand:

1. Wash and rinse dishes as you normally would using hot water.
2. In a separate basin, add 1 teaspoon of unscented household liquid bleach for each gallon of warm water.
3. Then soak the rinsed dishes in the water for at least one minute.
4. Let the dishes air dry completely before using.

Before resuming use of water for drinking or cooking, flush household pipes, ice makers, water fountains and the like. Flushing is letting water run to ensure no contaminated water remains in your pipes. Follow these guidelines:

• Run all cold-water faucets in your home for one minute.
• For automatic ice makers, make three batches of ice and discard.
• Run water softeners through a regeneration cycle.
• Run drinking water fountains for one minute.
• Run water coolers with direct water connections for five minutes.

Discolored Water

Following a notice, you may experience discolored water from air bubbles or harmless sediment. The water can appear to be red, brown or milky.

• To clear discoloration, run cold water through your bathtub or other faucet for 5 to 10 minutes.
• If discoloration continues, immediately contact the Hillsborough Water Treatment Plant at 919-732-3621.