Personal protective equipment should be worn when entering a flooded building. It is recommended to wear boots, puncture resistant gloves, and respiratory protection against mildew, mold, and fungi that may be in the air. The type of respirator that is recommended is known as a filter face piece respirator that can be obtained at a local hardware store. Unhealthy bacteria may be present in resident's water if the public water supply has lost power or if a private well has been flooded. The water in the home may be unsafe for drinking, cooking, or washing.
Many water lines run parallel to roads.
If floodwater recedes too quickly, it could erode the ground under the roads, causing the roads to collapse and in turn break the water lines. This may contaminate public drinking water supplies and disrupt service. If residents' public water supply has lost power or if residents' private well has been flooded, the water for drinking, cooking, making ice, brushing teeth, and bathing should be boiled for approximately 3 to 5 minutes. Because boiling water can increase nitrate levels seen after flooding, young infants and pregnant women should not drink boiled water. Bottled water should be used by pregnant women and be used for preparing infant formula.