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Flooding en español
Flood Water Precautions
EPA cautions the public and all responders about the potential hazards of flood waters.
Every effort should be made to limit contact with flood water due to potentially elevated levels of contamination associated with raw sewage and other hazardous substances.
- Drinking Water and Food
- Flooding and Mold
- Children, Older Adults
- For Water and Wastewater Facilities
- Private Wells and Septic Systems
Call 911 if you are in immediate danger and need emergency help. State and local response agencies are the primary responders for people who are concerned about or were affected by flooding. This page lists general information to help people in flooded areas recover and reduce risks caused by a flood. Find your state emergency office or agency from fema.gov.
ALERT: Generator exhaust is toxic. Always put generators outside well away from doors, windows, and vents. Never use a generator inside homes, garages, crawlspaces, sheds, or similar areas. Carbon monoxide (CO) is deadly, can build up quickly, and linger for hours. More information
Never attempt to drive a vehicle through flood water, no matter how shallow it appears and no matter how well you know the road. Attempting to drive through flood water is a leading cause of flood-related injury and death.
Listen to EPA safety messages about flooding and cleanup precautions.Drinking Water and Food
- Boiling water information To kill all major water-borne bacterial pathogens, bring water to a rolling boil for 1 minute. Boil 3 minutes at elevations above 5280 ft (1 mile or 1.6 km).
- What to do about water from household wells after a flood. Use caution restarting drinking water wells. Do not turn on the pump - danger of electric shock. Do not drink or wash with water from the flooded well.
- General info about household wells.
- Keeping food safe during flooding and power outages. Don't test the safety of possibly spoiled food by tasting it! (usda.gov)
Flooding and Mold
- Dry or discard wet items within 24-28 hours to avoid mold.
- Flood cleanup: dealing with mold
- Mold cleanup in schools and commercial buildings. Information for building managers, custodians, and others who are responsible for commercial building and school maintenance.
- Mold, moisture, and your home
- Safely cleaning a flood-damaged home from cdc.gov, and Repair your flooded home
from redcross.org
Children, Older Adults
- Be sure children are protected from chemicals and organisms. Behavior such as crawling or placing objects in their mouths can increase a child's risk of exposure. More about protecting children after a flood
- Make sure older adults have enough water to drink. Dehydration can be life threatening to an older adult. More info...
- More on helping older adults after a flood
For Water and Wastewater Facilities
Private Wells and Septic Systems
- What do I do with my home septic system after a flood? Do not drink your well water until it is tested. Do not use the sewage system until water in the soil absorption field is lower than the water level around the house. If you have a home-based or small business and your septic system has received chemicals, take extra precautions to prevent contact with water or inhaling fumes. Proper clean-up depends on the kinds of chemicals in the wastewater. More information about your septic system.
- What do I do with my private drinking water well after a flood? Drilled, driven or bored wells are best disinfected by a well or pump contractor, because it is difficult for the private owner to thoroughly disinfect these wells. If you suspect that your well may be contaminated, contact your local or state health department or agriculture extension agent for specific advice on disinfecting your well. Remember to disinfect before you sample and test the well water. More information about inspecting, disinfecting, and testing wells.