• Stay alert for drinking water notices from your municipality if you are on municipal water
• If you are on a private well (drilled or dug) do not consume water if it is at risk of contamination, or your treatment equipment isn't working
  • Do not drink from well if...
    • Well head is or was completely submersed by flood water
    • Well is or was surrounded by flood water
    • Basement is or was flooded
    • The well casing is or was damaged
    • The well cap is or was missing or damaged

• Reduce all non-essential water use until the operation of the system has returned to normal or has been checked by a qualified technician.

• Stay alert for drinking water notices from your municipality if you are on municipal water
• Do not consume water from your private water source if your drilled or dug well is at risk for contamination, or your treatment equipment isn't working
• If your well or your property is flooded, it is recommended to test your water before consuming as it could be contaminated*
• DO NOT consume water until...
  
  • Test results indicate a safe supply
  • Water is brought to a rolling boiling for at least one minute
  • Flood water have receded away from the well  

*Testing bottles can be picked up at Algoma Public Health  and dropped off at your local Public Health lab. It takes 48 hours for a water sample to be tested. Do not conduct testing until water has receded away from well.

If your private septic system is flooded it will be inoperative and unusable

• Never pump a septic tank directly after a flood as this could force the tank to float out of the ground
• Avoid contact with any septic system electrical device until they are dry, clean and inspected for damage
• Wait until flood waters have dropped below the level of the leaching bed before resuming use of the system
• Reduce all non-essential water use until the operation of the system has returned to normal  

Here are some of the items you may need for the clean-up:

Wear coveralls, rubber boots, gloves, mask and eye protection. An N95 mask should be worn to protect against mould and dust debris.

Belongings and household contents that are wet and cannot be thoroughly cleaned and dried within 24-48 hours should be discarded. Items that remain wet or damp will become a source of mould and bacterial growth. Building materials such as dry wall and insulation that are wet cannot be salvaged and must be removed and discarded.

Some items may be salvageable depending on the extent of damage and how quickly they are restored. 

To clean flood contaminated areas that have non-porous, non- absorbent surfaces:

• Remove all water
• Remove visible debris
• Clean with soap and water (using mops, cloths, sponge, brushes, etc.)
• Rinse with clean water (e.g., damp mop)
• Disinfect with diluted household bleach in water. 15ml (1 tablespoon) of bleach added to 1 litre of water is adequate to disinfect hard surfaces.
• Protect your skin and eyes when mixing. 

It may take several weeks to completely dry out a flooded area. It is very important to ensure flooded areas are completely dry as mould will grow in damp conditions. It is important not to paint over or cover mould as the mould will continue to grow underneath the surface and could lead to structural damage.

• Open doors and windows to ventilate your home.
• Open closets, drawers and cabinet doors.
• Circulate air with fans. Ideally pushing air out a window or door.
• Run one or more dehumidifiers as needed.
• You may need to re-clean several times. Surfaces on which mould is growing until the moisture levels no longer support mould growth.