If flood waters have reached a drinking well, residents of the property should immediately stop using the well and temporarily rely on bottled water for cooking, drinking and bathing, said Linda Mauller, environmental health director at the St. Joseph County, Ind., Health Department.
Otherwise, they are risking illness if they come in contact with the water.
"You have to have it tested before you start using it again for culinary or bathing purposes," she said.
The St. Joseph County Health Department was busy Wednesday fielding calls from the public, Mauller said, but not as many calls as they received after a record rainfall in August 2016 dumped more than eight inches in just over a day.
The health department offers verbal advice and fact sheets about keeping safe during flooding, how to remove water from basements and how to properly clean up after water has receded.
"Don't go in standing water, even in your backyard," said Gillian Conrad, communications manager for the Berrien County Health Department. Employees in that health department were traveling Berrien County on Wednesday to determine which areas have been hit hardest by the heavy rainfall and flooding.
Flood waters can contain contaminants, and the water also may carry electrical currents from downed power lines or appliances, Conrad said.
For those on septic systems in ground that has flooded, it is best to limit use of water until the septic system has time to recover, she said.
If boxed food items come in contact with flood water, it's best to throw them out rather than risking illness from contamination, Conrad said. Canned and bottled items can be salvaged, as long as they aren't bulging and the containers are washed well with hot soapy water, she said.
Allergies and asthma may worsen as a result of temperature changes or mold caused by flooding, said Dr. Sohaib Aleem, an allergist at the South Bend Clinic.
If a basement floods, once the water recedes, action is needed right away, he said. "Any visible mold needs to be removed as soon as possible," Aleem said. It is best to have that work done by trained professionals, he said.
He recommends using a dehumidifier to keep the interior humidity level at about 40 percent.
If people find their allergy and asthma conditions worsening, it's best to contact a doctor for treatment advice right away, rather than trying to struggle through it, he said.
mfosmoe@sbtinfo.com
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