Department of Health warns residents about dangers of using well water after Hurricane Irene

Health officials are urging Virginia residents who depend on water from wells and who use septic systems to take extra precautions.

Floodwaters from Hurricane Irene may have been contaminated with agricultural and industrial waste as well as fecal material from overflowing sewage systems. Power outages may have also caused problems as the wells and some septic tanks require power to operate.

Eating or drinking anything that has come in contact with contaminated water increases the risk for disease.

Minimize water use within the house in the event that your septic tank and/or drainfield system sustained damage, or if the soil is saturated. This will prevent raw sewage from discharging to the ground surface. Use diluted bleach water to disinfect any exposed human contact surfaces.

Wells that were flooded and submerged during the hurricane should also be considered contaminated. There is a procedure to disinfect wells and water systems, which is available at www.vaemergency.gov under Disaster Recovery, Recover and Rebuild (Water Safety).

If you are unsure if the well was flooded, assume that it was and use another water source until the water supply is disinfected.

Filed under: HEALTH