DOH-Taylor: Notice for Private Well Owners 

Contact:
Florida Department of Health in Taylor County
Environmental Health
(850) 223-5100

 

Perry, Fla. – The Florida Department of Health in Taylor County (DOH-Taylor) advises residents living in homes with private wells to protect themselves against disease-causing organisms that can make well water unsafe to drink. While many community utilities are under boil water notices following Hurricane Idalia, private wells are not included in such notices. Currently, an estimated 2,000 private wells have been affected by the impacts of Hurricane Idalia.

If your property is or was flooded and you use a private well, you must follow ONE of the following to ensure safe consumption of water:

• Boil tap water and hold it at a rolling boil for at least one Let it cool before using it for drinking, brushing teeth, washing food, cooking or washing dishes.
• Disinfect tap water by adding eight drops of plain, unscented household bleach (four to six percent strength), which is about one eighth teaspoon or a dime sized puddle, per gallon of water. If a higher strength bleach is used (8.25% strength), only add seven drops of bleach. Mix the solution and let it stand for 30 minutes. If the water is cloudy after 30 minutes, repeat the procedure one time.
  • Note: Use a container that has a cap or cover for disinfecting and storing water for drinking. This will prevent contamination. In addition, containers for water should be rinsed with a bleach solution of one tablespoon bleach per gallon of water before reusing
• Use commercially available bottled water, especially for mixing baby formula.

After flooding subsides:

• Disinfect your private well using the procedures available on the Florida Department of Health’s Private Well Water factsheet.
• To find out if your water is safe, have it tested by a certified laboratory for coliform bacteria. To find a certified laboratory, please visit gov.

For additional emergency information resources, please visit: FloridaHealth.gov/Emergency.

About the Florida Department of Health

The Department, nationally accredited by the Public Health Accreditation Board, works to protect, promote and improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county and community efforts.

Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter at @HealthyFla. For more information about the Florida Department of Health please visit www.FloridaHealth.gov.

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