Can Ignoring a Louisiana Boil Water Notice Actually Kill You?

Water in the Blanchard area has been the root of many conversations of late.

Get our free mobile app

The recent saga of the water woes in Blanchard, Oil City and Mooringsport, which closed schools a number of days and left residents without drinkable water or enough pressure to bathe, was all over the news.

Of course, with all the new construction going on, the Haughton area has been plagued with its share of water issues due to broken water mains or the need to flush water lines.

READ MORE: Recent Arctic Weather Won't Eliminate Mosquitoes in North LA

Water issues of this nature aren't anything new to North Louisiana, but it would appear they have become a lot more frequent.  So frequent, that we almost forget the importance of those Boil Water Advisories that are certain to be issued following these outages.

Anytime a water system is compromised, once pressure has returned, it's standard practice for the governing municipality of that system to issue a Boil Water Advisory, recommending any water intended for human consumption be boiled a defined amount of time to ensure its safety.

How Dangerous Is Drinking Un-boiled Water When A Boil Advisory Has Been Issued?

With these recent advisories so common place, it's certainly possible that residents might forget their importance or just totally ignore them.   And with those actions come the significant question, "Will it kill me if I forget to boil my water before drinking it?"

In a couple words; probably not. But, it could bring on some gastrointestinal issues that you'd much rather avoid.  And, with issues like brain eating amoeba that was discovered in the Bossier water system in 2018, you'd certainly want to avoid that as well.

The CDC Has Water Recommendations During Crisis

According to the Centers for Disease Control, here are some ideas on how to handle your water supply during a crisis:

• Use bottled or boiled water for drinking, and to prepare and cook food.
• If bottled water is not available, bring water to a full rolling boil for 1 minute, then allow it to cool before use.
• Boil tap water even if it is filtered.
• Do not use water from any appliance connected to your water line, such as ice and water from a refrigerator.
• Breastfeeding is the best infant feeding option If you formula feed your child, provide ready-to-use formula, if available.

Handwashing

• In many situations, you can use tap water and soap to wash hands. Follow the guidance from your local public health officials.
• Be sure to scrub your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, and rinse them well under running water.
• If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.

Bathing and Showering

• Be careful not to swallow any water when bathing or showering.
• Use caution when bathing babies and young children. Consider giving them a sponge bath to reduce the chance of them swallowing water.

Brushing Teeth

• Brush teeth with boiled or bottled water. Do not use untreated tap water.

I don't want to come off as preachy, but "it's always better to be safe than sorry" and with the stomach issues that contaminated water can bring on, this could be a "sorry" you'd much rather avoid.