Due to the floods in Citrus County, well owners should take extra precautions against disease-causing organisms because well water may not be safe to consume.
According to a press release from the Florida Department of Health in Citrus County, there are three ways to disinfect the tap water in order to make it safe to drink again.
- Boil tap water and hold it at a rolling boil for at least one minute. Then let the water cool down before you drink it, brush your teeth, use it for cooking, wash dishes, or wash your food.
- Use commercially-available bottled water, especially for baby formula.
- “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. Mix the solution and let it stand for 30 minutes. If the water is cloudy after 30 minutes, repeat the procedure one time.”
Once the flooding is over, make sure to disinfect the well. You can use the procedures from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s website for instructions: https://www.epa.gov/privatewells
If your well has been flooded, the county health department suggests you get your well water tested for coliform bacteria.
For those collecting their own water sample, the closest labs are located in Ocala and Tampa.
Advanced Environmental Labs (813) 630-9616
Marion County Water Test Lab (352) 694-6042
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