The following information is provided further to the boil water advisory issued by the Medical Officer of Health.

What do you do now?

The Windsor-Essex County Health Unit is advising that all water used for consumption be:

• Heated to a hard boil for at least 1 minute prior to use (store in a clean, covered container)

or

• Commercially bottled water.

Home filtration devices (filters) DO NOT kill bacteria that may be in the water. In your home, these devices could be portable, plumbed-in or faucet mounted.

Besides drinking, boiled water should be used for:

A. Food Preparation.

This includes but is not limited to ready to eat foods such as fruits and vegetables, concentrated fruit drinks and infant formula.

However, when preparing food, which requires boiling, you may do so as long as water is brought to a hard boil for at least 1 minute. Discard all food and beverages previously made with water, such as ice cubes, baby formula and juices. Disinfect all containers with a household bleach solution described below and remake with boiled water.

B.     Brushing Teeth

Use boiled or bottled water

C.     Dishwashing

Hand dishwashing can be done in the usual manner, however final rinse must be done with boiled/bottled water or disinfected in a bleach solution (1 tsp. (5 mls) bleach to 1 gallon (4.5 litres of lukewarm water).

Mechanical dishwashers may be used as long

as a chlorinated detergent is used (please check box label) in the cycle or there is a sanitizing cycle (check owner manual).

D.     Baby Formula

Special care should be taken when preparing baby formula; including mixing cereal and juices, as well as cleaning bottles. A safe alternative to mixing formula with boiled or bottled water would be ready-to-use formulas.