Do you go through the trouble of boiling your water during an emergency?

Contributor: Petite Valentine Petite Valentine
The area where I live has a major, ongoing water issue, and they've issued an advisory that all water for consumption be boiled beforehand. No using filtered water from the refrigerator, and residents were instructed to throw away ice cubes.

Now they're even advising that we rinse hand-washed dishes for a minute in a diluted bleach solution (one tablespoon of household bleach per gallon of tap water).

I'm willing to boil all the water necessary, but eating off dishes that have remnants of bleach?

How much of this is for actual public safety, and how much of it is just CYA legal requirement?

Do you go through the trouble of boiling your water during an emergency?
Answers (private voting - your screen name will NOT appear in the results):
Yes, I boil ALL of it, even for bathing.
Yes, I boil all water for cooking/consumption.
10
Yes, I boil most of it, though I'll still drink water from my Brita/PUR/other filter.
Yes, I'll explain below…
2
No, I stick to bottled water during alerts/emergencies.
24
No, I just avoid using water form the tap to cook/drink.
4
No, I think they're full of *&^%
No, I'll explain below…
1
No watering llamas or lawn during alerts! (aka Other)
6
Total votes: 47 (31 voters)
Poll is closed
06/30/2012
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Contributor: Geogeo Geogeo
I never had this issue but we do boil water at our cottage. I think if they are advising you to do this, there's an important reason behind it.
06/30/2012
Contributor: wdanas wdanas
We usually have bottled on hand, as well as a water filter, so no need to boil for consumption.
06/30/2012
Contributor: Peggi Peggi
This has rarely happened, but we stick to bottled water for the most part. Also, depending on the type of well it is, a few of my friends have well water, and so long as it wasn't part of the alert, my friends are always willing to share some of their well water with us for things like doing dishes and showering
06/30/2012
Contributor: Chilipepper Chilipepper
The bleach is safer than the bacteria.

After having lived through hurricanes and broken water mains, I say it's best to not risk your health. We once had brain-eating bacteria in a local pond which killed just about anyone who swam in it. Lovely way to die, eh?
06/30/2012
Contributor: Petite Valentine Petite Valentine
Quote:
Originally posted by Chilipepper
The bleach is safer than the bacteria.

After having lived through hurricanes and broken water mains, I say it's best to not risk your health. We once had brain-eating bacteria in a local pond which killed just about anyone who swam in it. ... more
Eek! I recall reading a news story (found it!) about a girl who died after a swimming in Florida, and it was eventually traced back to a waterborne parasite.

They're telling residents here we can bathe, just to not swallow any of the water.
06/30/2012
Contributor: Missmarc Missmarc
Quote:
Originally posted by Petite Valentine
The area where I live has a major, ongoing water issue, and they've issued an advisory that all water for consumption be boiled beforehand. No using filtered water from the refrigerator, and residents were instructed to throw away ice ... more
Bottled water sounds good.
06/30/2012
Contributor: EvilHomer EvilHomer
Present place: I have 6 gallons of bottled water for drinking, if I know the problem might be coming I tend to fill up the tub with water for dishes, flushing the toilet (if water goes out) ext.

Some of the previous places: Were on well water and didn't pay attention to warnings.

As to the CYA question, last time we went under a boil water (where we are on city) we didn't get the notice until 3 days after it went into effect. We had no issues drinking the water those 3 days.
06/30/2012
Contributor: Woman China Woman China
Hey!!! That sounds like how I wash my dishes here at home!!! Been doing it for ten years now.

When it comes to my dishes, I fill the sink with water, add my soap as usual, then I add in my bleach directly into the soap. Then I know my dishes are properly squeaky clean. Then I rinse dishes in a bucket with a milder bleach solution, and then? I have a bucket filled with bottled water to swish everything through then I allow to air dry.

It seems a little excessive I know, but I have found for me, that if I do not do this, then I get bleach blisters on my lips.

What you need to be careful on, is if they tell you that you cannot brush your teeth with this water. For if you cannot brush your teeth with your water, why are you washing clothes in it or bathing in this water?

When it comes to having boiling water, what we do here is; we buy very large- we they are just giant buckets. Foreigners would call them rubbish bins, but rubbish bins are blue. These are red. But a large rubbermaid tote box would work too. We boil large quantities of water, let it cool for a bit, then pour the water into these bins. It takes a fair amount of time, but this way we have easy access to a large amount of drinking water. One bin usually lasts for about a day for a normal household for cooking, drinking, and human needs.
06/30/2012
Contributor: JennSenn JennSenn
I've never had this happen where I live, but I would do what they say. Sounds scary.
06/30/2012
Contributor: Sundae Sparkles Sundae Sparkles
Quote:
Originally posted by Chilipepper
The bleach is safer than the bacteria.

After having lived through hurricanes and broken water mains, I say it's best to not risk your health. We once had brain-eating bacteria in a local pond which killed just about anyone who swam in it. ... more
true true... Bleach is great for cleaning everything...
06/30/2012
Contributor: MistressDandelion MistressDandelion
I don't even normally drink water from the faucet because I'm so sensitive to chemicals and bacterias.. I sure wouldn't if there was an emergency. There's bottled water for that.
06/30/2012
Contributor: Petite Valentine Petite Valentine
Quote:
Originally posted by MistressDandelion
I don't even normally drink water from the faucet because I'm so sensitive to chemicals and bacterias.. I sure wouldn't if there was an emergency. There's bottled water for that.
Our refrigerator filters water, but emergency services is warning that it's not enough to be considered "safe." We're using bottled water right now but my eco-friendly soul is convulsing over all the plastic. It's a lose-lose situation, right in time for July 4th.
07/01/2012
Contributor: MK434 MK434
No we always have bottled water no matter what.
07/01/2012
Contributor: Allstars316 Allstars316
There has only been one tornado in my area and it was when I was a child and we did it. There was pots all over the house. But since no need.
07/01/2012
Contributor: - Kira - - Kira -
We have emergencies here a lot that require this. We stock up on bottled water for times like these. If we run out, then yes we boil the water. I would just use paper plates for the time being because I have a bleach intolerance. There's no way I'm eating off a bleached dish. Who knows what my insides would do. I'm also not gonna eat off a dish that could harbor some crazy parasite either. Paper it is then.
07/01/2012
Contributor: shySEXXaddict shySEXXaddict
Quote:
Originally posted by Petite Valentine
The area where I live has a major, ongoing water issue, and they've issued an advisory that all water for consumption be boiled beforehand. No using filtered water from the refrigerator, and residents were instructed to throw away ice ... more
for cooking I boil it otherwise we use bottled
07/29/2012
Contributor: Princess Zelda Princess Zelda
thats scary I would try to stick with bottled water but if I had to I would boil the water for everything.
07/29/2012
Contributor: sXeVegan90 sXeVegan90
Normally we have bottled water on hand in the event of hurricanes where I live, but in the event that we haven't had bottled water, we have boiled it. In the event of power outages...well that's another matter entirely. haha
07/29/2012