Plain-language explainers on advisories, water safety and what to do before, during and after a notice — across the U.S. and Canada.
Handwashing is the one hygiene habit you cannot skip during an advisory — but the tap is off-limits. How to set up…
A Saturday morning water main break put all of Chimney Swift Lane under a boil water advisory. Customers who lost pressure or…
For people on chemotherapy, transplant patients and others with weakened immunity, a boil water advisory calls for more than boiling drinking water.…
A school with 600 students cannot hand out bottled water one cup at a time. How schools, daycares and offices handle drinking…
During an advisory, the landlord owns the plumbing and the tenant drinks the water. What each side is expected to do, what…
Plants do not catch E. coli, but your lettuce, your kids' wading pool and your hot tub are different stories. What is…
The notice is lifted, but the sponge, the ice bin, the toothbrush cup and the sink are still what they were during…
Any appliance plumbed into your water line is off-limits during an advisory — including the fridge dispenser you use without thinking. How…
Utilities issue the notice, states enforce the rules, and the EPA sets the deadlines. Here is who is responsible for what, how…
Most advisories are not caused by found contamination — they are precautionary responses to pressure loss, treatment problems or a positive sample.…