Water-related Emergencies & Outbreaks

Disaster Preparedness: After An Event

A single Disaster Preparedness Links page featuring the links found on all three pages within the Disaster Preparedness Toolkit (links for Before An Event, After An Event, and Disaster Preparedness Training) is also available.

Drinking Water

Drinking Water During an Emergency

Personal Water Use - Safe Drinking Water in Emergencies (CDC). Information on creating a water, sanitation, and hygiene-related disaster kit and planning for finding, treating, and storing safe water
Drinking Water: Immunocompromised Persons and Other Vulnerable Groups (CDC). Information on drinking water, illness, and safe water for immunocompromised persons and other vulnerable groups
Water (Preparing for a Disaster) (FEMA). Document on bottled water storage and preparing/storing home containers of water
Emergency Disinfection of Drinking Water (EPA). Guidelines in emergency disinfection of drinking water with PDF documents in English, Spanish, French, Arabic, and Vietnamese.

Emergency Disinfection - Education Materials: Posters and Flyers (CDC)

Make Water Safe
- Make Water Safe - English [PDF - 1 page]
- Cómo desinfectar el agua (Make Water Safe) - Español[PDF - 1 page]
Drink Safe Water
- Drink Safe Water - English [PDF - 1 page]
- Beba agua que sea segura (Drink Safe Water) - Español[PDF - 1 page]

Drinking Water Advisories

Boil Water Advisories (CDC). For Cryptosporidium, but applies to other organisms as well.
Drinking Water Advisory Toolkits. Drinking water advisory planning for water systems.

Inspecting and Disinfecting Wells

What To Do With Drinking Water Wells Before and After an Emergency (CDC)
What to Do After the Flood (EPA). A guide to well and pump inspection and emergency disinfection of wells that have been flooded (with illustrated instructions), including PDF documents in English, Spanish, and Vietnamese.

Hauled Water or Bulk Water Delivery

Information on Bulk Water Hauling and Cleaning of Storage Tanks and Tankers from WHO and Connecticut (CDC)

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Hygiene and Sanitation

Hygiene, Handwashing, Sanitation, and Clean-up

Hygiene and Handwashing (CDC). Information on practicing basic hygiene and handwashing during the emergency period.
Cleaning and Sanitizing (CDC). Information on cleaning and sanitizing containers and surfaces during the emergency period.
After a Hurricane or Flood: Cleanup of Flood Water (CDC). Information on cleaning up flood water inside and outside of the home.

Sewage and Septic Systems

What To Do With Septic Systems Before and After an Emergency (CDC)
Septic Systems - What to Do After the Flood (EPA). Detailed information on remediating septic systems that have been flooded, including PDF documents in English, Spanish, and Vietnamese.
Flooded Private Sewage Systems: Safety, Sanitation And Clean-Up Concerns (National Ag Safety Database). Information for septic systems before, during, and after the flood.

Flood Waters

Flood Water Exposure (CDC). Guidance on the risks of infectious disease, chemical hazards, and injuries associated with exposure to flood waters or flooded buildings.

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Worker Safety

Natural Disasters: Response, Cleanup & Safety for Workers (CDC). A list of emergency response resources for workers at natural disaster sites.

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Community Shelters or Mass Care

Infection Control Guidance for Community Evacuation Centers Following Disasters (CDC). Recommendations for basic infection control guidance to prevent exposure to or transmission of infectious diseases in temporary community evacuation centers.
Shelters (CDC). Shelters provide a safe place for individuals affected by emergency events to reside. These shelters can provide a variety of services such as water, food, sleeping quarters, sanitation facilities, and medical care. Many critical functions occur in shelters; examples include conducting shelter assessments, testing drinking water supplies, conducting food safety inspections, and evaluating general safety and sanitation.
Public Health Surveillance After a Disaster: Shelter Assessment Tool (CDC). CDC has developed an Environmental Health Shelter Assessment Tool to assist environmental health practitioners in conducting a rapid assessment of shelter conditions during emergencies and disasters. The tool is an assessment form that covers 14 general areas of environmental health, ranging from basic food safety and water quality to pet (companion animal) wellness, and allows for the documentation of immediate needs in shelters. It can be easily modified to meet local needs.

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