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Boil-water advisory: what is it and what now?

Due to a problem or maintenance, your tap water may temporarily not be clean enough. In that case, we issue a boil-water advisory. This means that you cannot just drink water from the tap. You have to boil the water for 3 minutes first. After that, it is safe to drink. A boil-water advisory is usually valid for 3 to 4 days.

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What should I do in case of a boil-water advisory?

Boil the tap water you want to use for 3 minutes. It concerns the water you use for:

  • Drinking
  • Coffee, tea, lemonade, or formula
  • Brushing your teeth
  • Cooking
  • Washing fruit or vegetables
  • Drinking water for pets

After boiling, the water is safe to drink.

How do I boil the water?

  • Bring the water to the boil in a pan or kettle. Let the water boil for 3 minutes.
  • Using a kettle? Then leave the lid open. Otherwise, the kettle will automatically switch off.
  • Water from a boiling water tap, such as a Quooker, is kept at temperature for more than 3 minutes. There is no need to boil this water any longer.
  • Be careful with coffee machines. These usually do not boil the water long enough.

After 3 minutes of boiling, all bacteria in the water are dead. You can now drink the water safely.

When does the boil-water advisory expire?

You will receive a letter from us when you can safely drink the water from the tap again. You do not need to boil the water after that.

Water from mobile water station or water tank

Sometimes no water comes from the tap. Waternet will then place mobile water stations or water tanks in your neighbourhood. This way you will still have access to water. The water from our station or tank is clean and of good quality. Your jerrycan, pan or bottle might not be clean enough, though. Therefore, also boil this water for 3 minutes to make sure it is safe.

Unfortunately, sometimes the tap water is temporarily not clean enough. This can be the result of a problem or maintenance. For example, when a pipe has been open. If so, there is a small chance that dirt has entered the pipe. As a precaution, you will then receive a boil-water advisory.

A boil-water advisory usually lasts 4 days. If Waternet finds bacteria that do not belong in tap water, we always take additional tap water samples to check the quality. These checks take a few days. We will let you know when we are sure the water is safe to drink.

If it concerns a small area, Waternet will notify you personally. We do this by letter or telephone. Are there problems in a wider area? Then we will inform people through local media, such as RTV Noord-Holland and/or AT5. You will also find information on our website. 

You can shower and bathe as normal. Do make sure not to swallow any water. 

Yes, it is better if you boil the water to be sure. 

No. This kind of situation almost never causes complaints. If you do have stomach or bowel problems, it is best to see your GP.

All questions about a boil-water advisory
Berrybot Berry, the digital assistent