Precautionary Boil Advisory Information
The Missouri Department of Water Conservation has provided the following FAQs.
What is a Precautionary Boil Advisory?
A public water system, such as the City of Wentzville, may issue a boil water advisory when there is a drinking water concern that has not yet been confirmed. These are most commonly issued for major water main breaks or other very low-pressure events where the possibility of contaminant intrusion exists. The advisory is issued while waiting for the results of confirmation samples collected for bacteriological analysis, which can take up to two days plus the time required to transport samples to the laboratory.
What is a Boil Water Order?
A boil water order is issued by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources to public water systems when a threat to public health exists or is likely to exist, that boiling the water will remedy. The public water system is then required to notify consumers as soon as possible, and by the most effective methods, that need to boil their drinking water.
- Boil water vigorously for three minutes prior to use. Use only water that has been boiled for drinking, diluting fruit juices, all other food preparation and brushing teeth.
- Dispose of ice cubes and do not use ice from a household automatic ice maker. Remake ice cubes with water that has been boiled.
- Disinfect dishes and other food contact surfaces by immersion for at least one minute in clean tap water that contains one teaspoon of unscented household bleach per gallon of water.
- Let water cool sufficiently before drinking.
Do I need to boil bath water?
Water used for bathing does not generally need to be boiled. Supervision of children is necessary while bathing or using backyard pools so water is not ingested. Persons with cuts or severe rashes may wish to consult their physicians.
If a Precautionary Boil Advisory is issued by the City, how do I get more information?
The primary source of information about water outages and precautionary boil advisories is the home page of the City's website. When urgent information must be shared, the City utilizes the alert function of the website. A pop-up window will provide an alert when visiting www.wentzvillemo.gov. Details may also be shared on the City's social media pages or through W.I.N.D. For small outages, door hangers and signage may be used. If you're not signed up for W.I.N.D., please visit www.wentzvillemo.gov/WIND.
Where can I find more information?
To learn more about your drinking water, contact the City Public Works Department by phone during regular business hours at (636) 327-5101. All current water outages or advisories can be viewed on the Water Outage Map.
