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'Boil Water' Alerts
What You Should Do!
Where a local authority advises that Giardia and or Cryptosporidium has been detected in the
drinking water supply and has issued a Boil Water alert, the following precautions should always be
taken where a certified water filtering system eliminating such contaminants is not in use.
As a precaution any water used for human consumption should be brought to a rolling boil for at least 3
continual minutes. Water should then be allowed to cool and stored in a clean container with a lid and refrigerated.
Boiled water should be used for drinking, cooking, washing uncooked foods(such as seafood and salads),making ice,
personal hygiene, pets drinking water, washing hands, cleaning teeth and gargling.
Special care should be taken for those with weakened immune systems, ie immunosuppressed,
those on dialysis treatment and the aged.
Symptoms of Giardia and Cryptosporidium include diarrhoea, abdominal pain, slight fever or vomiting. These are both
highly likely outcomes where the above recommendations are not strictly followed.
The following alerts are not all Giardia or Cryptosporidium related, however in most instances the above
recommendations should be adhered to whatever the basis of any water contamination alert.
Click on an area of the Australian map to find out more about local water warnings and alerts.
New South Wales/ACT |
Northern Territory |
Queensland |
South Australia |
Tasmania |
Victoria |
Western Australia
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"Infection is the main, but not the only, problem associated with microorganisms in drinking water. For
instance, certain algae and bacteria can produce toxins that affect humans; the toxins may remain in the
water even when the organisms responsible have been removed. Other ‘nuisance organisms’ can cause
problems of taste, odour or colour, or promote deposition and corrosion."
Australian National Water Quality Management Strategy
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