The Sewerage & Water Board issued a precautionary boil water advisory Saturday morning for the entire east bank of New Orleans.
A drop in water pressure led to the advisory, according to the agency.
The city’s Office of Emergency Preparedness issued the following guidelines on taking safe precautions during the boil water advisory.
DON’T CONSUME TAP WATER
-Use bottled or boiled water to drink, cook, brush teeth, and mix baby formula.
-Wash fruits and vegetables with bottled or boiled water.
-Don’t use ice from ice trays or ice makers. Make new ice with bottled or boiled water.
-To be safe, give your pets bottled or boiled water.
TAKE CARE CLEANING
-Wash countertops and tables with boiled water.
-Use a rinse temperature of 150° F or a sanitize cycle on your dishwasher.
-Wash dishes by hand as usual. Then soak in mixture of 1 gallon of water and 1 teaspoon of bleach for 1 minute.
-Do laundry as usual.
BE CAREFUL BATHING
-If you’re a healthy adult, you can bathe or shower with tap water. Be careful not to swallow any water.
-Give babies and young children a sponge bath or use boiled water to bathe.
-If you have open wounds or a weakened immune system, use boiled water to bathe.
-Use hand sanitizer after washing hands.
BOIL WATER SAFELY
-Heat water until large bubbles come from the bottom to the top of the pot.
-Let the water boil for at least 1 minute.
-Turn off the stove and let the water cool.
-Store the water in a clean container with a cover.
-Add a pinch of salt and shake to improve the taste.
