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Boil water advisory: what you can and can't do
- Use bottled or boiled water for drinking, cooking, brushing teeth, making ice, baby formula and washing produce.
- Boil at a rolling boil for 1 minute (3 minutes above 6,500 ft), then cool.
- Showering is generally fine — don't swallow the water.
- Follow your utility's instructions; they know what's in your water.
Water utilities issue boil water advisories (also called boil water notices) when drinking water may be contaminated with germs — often after a main break, a loss of pressure during a power outage, flooding or a treatment problem. Here's how to keep your household safe until it's lifted.
How to boil water correctly
- If the water is cloudy, let it settle and filter it through a clean cloth, paper towel or coffee filter.
- Bring it to a rolling boil for 1 minute — 3 minutes above 6,500 feet.
- Let it cool naturally, then store it in clean, covered containers.
- To improve the flat taste, pour it back and forth between two clean containers.
No way to boil? Unscented household bleach can disinfect clear water: 8 drops of 6% bleach per gallon (or 6 drops of 8.25%), stir and wait 30 minutes. Full dosing table in our water storage guide.
What you can and can't do
| Activity | Tap water OK? | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Drinking, coffee, juice | ✕ No | Bottled or boiled water |
| Cooking & washing produce | ✕ No | Boiled water (food boiled for at least a minute is fine) |
| Brushing teeth | ✕ No | Bottled or boiled water |
| Ice | ✕ No | Throw out ice from the icemaker; use bags of store ice or boiled water |
| Baby formula | ✕ No | Ready-to-feed formula, or bottled/boiled water |
| Showering & bathing | ✓ Generally yes | Don't swallow; sponge-bathe babies and supervise young kids |
| Washing hands | ✓ Usually | Soap and tap water is usually fine — follow your utility's guidance |
| Dishwasher | ✓ Usually | If it has a sanitizing cycle or reaches at least 150°F |
| Washing dishes by hand | ⚠ With extra step | Wash and rinse as usual, then soak 1 minute in 1 tsp unscented bleach per gallon of warm water; air dry |
| Laundry | ✓ Yes | Normal |
| Pets | ✕ No | Give pets bottled or boiled, cooled water |
When the advisory is lifted
- Run all cold water faucets for several minutes to flush your pipes (follow the time your utility gives)
- Flush the icemaker: throw away the first batches of ice
- Run water coolers and refrigerator water dispensers to flush them
- Replace filters in pitchers, faucets and refrigerators
- Run the water heater and household treatment devices per the manufacturer's instructions if your utility recommends it
Be ready before it happens
The easiest way to get through a boil water advisory is to already have stored water: 1 gallon per person per day, ideally for two weeks. See how much water to store and add water to your power outage checklist — outages are a common cause of these advisories.
Boil water advisory FAQ
How long do you boil water?
One minute at a rolling boil, or three minutes above 6,500 feet. Then let it cool.
Can I shower during a boil water advisory?
Generally yes, as long as you don't swallow water. Supervise children and sponge-bathe babies.
Can I brush my teeth with tap water?
No — use bottled or boiled water.
Is a water filter enough?
Most household pitcher and fridge filters are not designed to remove bacteria and viruses. Use boiled or bottled water unless your utility says otherwise.
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