Aside from broken pipes, it should be nearly impossible for drinking water to mix with sewer water. And even then there is often redundancy built in such as drinking pipes installed above sewer pipes to prevent mixing in the event of a break and maintaining pressure throughout the pipes to prevent water intrusion into the drinking water pipes.
It is however a common cause for a power loss at the pumps that keep the water system pressurized.
When pressure is lost or not maintained to proper levels, any hairline crack, or drip leak, or failed backflow preventer in the entire system represents a point where contamination can enter and render the entire system unsafe for consumption.
Structure damage caused by severe flooding can expose water delivery pipes to contamination as well
Unless there is some kind of damage to the distribution or treatment system, clean water shouldn’t be much of a problem.
Some issues that could cause water system failures during a flood include
Excessive sediments in the source water that the treatment facility cannot adequately remove. Even with this, coagulatants would probably fix these issues, but could reduce production.
Supply shortages of chlorine (very unlikely as most facilities keep a decent stockpile to buffer against shortages)
Damage to the distribution system, such as a broken pipe, where intrusions of ground water/sewer water could occur.
Damage to homes, businesses, or hydrants causing excessive flows and a lack of pressure in the system, some of which could be remedied shortly after flooding by isolating the worst of the leaks.
Damages to the water treatment plant itself, as they are often located fairly close to their source water, although this isn’t always the case. Some are quite far from the shore, sometimes over a kilometer, and may have some elevation gain as well.
Definitely still a good idea to have a backup source of water but if your entire areas water is down for several days after a flood, it could indicate some design flaws or a lack of redundancy in the system.
I mean, we had water boil notices Ian and Milton, in an area with new plumbing and above the flood levels of those storms.
With power out everywhere, and iirc some ruptured pipes, my understanding is that they lost pressure in the system, so they couldn’t guarantee the water was good.
And… I can’t emphasize how widespread these events are. Like, entire forests are mowed down by wind for miles. Even with the flood of out-of-state contracters after a storm, it takes a bit for them to fix stuff.
Any pipe rupture event will result in a boil water advisory unless that pipe is isolated and the system purged. It is always best to be cautious even if the water is testing fine. This is because that pressurized hole could get bigger at any moment and reduce pressure to the point intrusion could occur.
This seems like a good tip, but i dont understand why drink it, instead of freezing it again, before next power outage.
deleted by creator
Aside from broken pipes, it should be nearly impossible for drinking water to mix with sewer water. And even then there is often redundancy built in such as drinking pipes installed above sewer pipes to prevent mixing in the event of a break and maintaining pressure throughout the pipes to prevent water intrusion into the drinking water pipes.
deleted by creator
Flooding is not a common cause of broken pipes
deleted by creator
It is however a common cause for a power loss at the pumps that keep the water system pressurized.
When pressure is lost or not maintained to proper levels, any hairline crack, or drip leak, or failed backflow preventer in the entire system represents a point where contamination can enter and render the entire system unsafe for consumption.
Structure damage caused by severe flooding can expose water delivery pipes to contamination as well
In my country clean water is being supplied even during power outages.
deleted by creator
Unless there is some kind of damage to the distribution or treatment system, clean water shouldn’t be much of a problem.
Some issues that could cause water system failures during a flood include
Excessive sediments in the source water that the treatment facility cannot adequately remove. Even with this, coagulatants would probably fix these issues, but could reduce production.
Supply shortages of chlorine (very unlikely as most facilities keep a decent stockpile to buffer against shortages)
Damage to the distribution system, such as a broken pipe, where intrusions of ground water/sewer water could occur.
Damage to homes, businesses, or hydrants causing excessive flows and a lack of pressure in the system, some of which could be remedied shortly after flooding by isolating the worst of the leaks.
Damages to the water treatment plant itself, as they are often located fairly close to their source water, although this isn’t always the case. Some are quite far from the shore, sometimes over a kilometer, and may have some elevation gain as well.
Definitely still a good idea to have a backup source of water but if your entire areas water is down for several days after a flood, it could indicate some design flaws or a lack of redundancy in the system.
I mean, we had water boil notices Ian and Milton, in an area with new plumbing and above the flood levels of those storms.
With power out everywhere, and iirc some ruptured pipes, my understanding is that they lost pressure in the system, so they couldn’t guarantee the water was good.
And… I can’t emphasize how widespread these events are. Like, entire forests are mowed down by wind for miles. Even with the flood of out-of-state contracters after a storm, it takes a bit for them to fix stuff.
Half the commenters here have clearly never lived a hurricane.
Any pipe rupture event will result in a boil water advisory unless that pipe is isolated and the system purged. It is always best to be cautious even if the water is testing fine. This is because that pressurized hole could get bigger at any moment and reduce pressure to the point intrusion could occur.
Probably for when you get thirsty before the power comes back on.
Most water plants have their own back up generators so power outages alone should not impact the water supply.
In a hurricane, does the supply get contaminated sometimes maybe? I dunno, we don’t have em here
I’ve weathered four hurricanes in my life. I’ve needed my backup Water Supplies every single time.