A Boil Water Advisory has been issued by the North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit (NBPSDHU). The boil water advisory remains in effect until it is lifted by the NBPSDHU.
The guidelines below are provided to recreational camp operators in response to the boil water advisory issued.
General Precautions
- All guests at the camp must be properly notified of the advisory. This includes (but is not limited to) posting signs at all entrances to the campgrounds, on information boards and at campsites where possible and necessary.
- Water that is intended for human consumption should be:
- Subjected to a rolling boil for at least 1 minute, or treated with a suitable filtering or water treatment device, or
- Obtained from a known safe supply (eg, municipal supply that is not subject to the boil water advisory or commercially bottled water).
- Avoid consuming ice, fountain drinks, fruit drinks mixed with tap water, ice tea or ice coffee, unpasteurized juices and raw foods that have been washed with water that has not been disinfected.
Handwashing
All staff and guests should be encouraged to regularly handwashing, especially before preparing food and after using the toilet.
- Wash hands by usual handwashing technique using soap and water
- Rinse hands using an alcohol based hand disinfectant (containing more than 60% alcohol)
Food Service Operations
- Discard all food and beverages made with untreated and/or potentially contaminated water. Disinfect all containers storing these products.
- All water that is provided for drinking purposes must be commercially bottled or must be treated by heating it to a rolling boil for at least one (1) minute and then storing the water in clean covered containers until used for serving.
- Signs advising not to drink the tap water should be posted at all sinks.
- All foods that do not require cooking and need washing (e.g. fruits and vegetables) are to be rinsed or soaked only in water that has been disinfected.
- Water that is used as an ingredient in any food product that is considered “ready-to-eat” i.e. without cooking, eg. infant formula, pudding, Jell-O, fruit juices and drinks, etc., must be heated to a rolling boil for at least one (1) minute.
- All ice must be obtained from water that has been heated to a rolling boil for at least one (1) minute, or from commercially bottled water, or from a commercial ice manufacturer that is unaffected by the Boil Water Advisory.
- All soft drink beverage lines connected directly to tap water for mixing must be disconnected.
- Any employee reporting that they are suffering from diarrhea must be excluded from work and can be tested by their family doctor. Employees should not return to work until symptoms have subsided for a period of 48 hours.
- For washing and sanitizing of utensils;
- Commercial dishwashers that can provide a sanitary rinse temperature of 71°C at the plate are satisfactory.
- If no dishwashing machine is available, dishes and/or utensils should be cleaned and sanitized in accordance with the procedure(s) outlined in the current edition of the Ontario Recreational Camps Regulation 568. Only boiled water should be used for this process.
- As a matter of convenience, single-service articles (eg. disposable plates, cups, bowls, knives, forks etc.) should be used whenever possible.
Swimming
General
- All persons exhibiting signs of diarrhea should avoid swimming in public bathing areas. This includes but is not limited to swimming pools, lakes, rivers, ponds etc.
- Babies, young children and bathers who do not have control of their bowels should wear appropriate clothing to prevent fecal discharge into the pool, spa or other bathing area.
- Sign(s) should be posted in conspicuous location(s) advising bathers not to ingest water.
- Drinking water fountains in and around bathing areas must be shut off or rendered inaccessible. All water coolers should be emptied and disinfected prior to reuse. Commercially bottled water or other suitably disinfected water should be made available to bathers.
- Ensure that all bathers are showering (eg. with warm water and soap) prior to entering a pool or spa.
Upon Lifting A Boil Water Advisory
General
- Re-start and flush all water-using equipment in accordance with the manufacturer’s specifications.
- Flush pipes/cold water faucets for at least 3 minutes before using the water.
- Run drinking water fountains continuously for at least 1 minute before drinking the water.
- Flush all garden hoses by running cold water through them for at least 1 minute.
- Run all water softeners through a regeneration cycle.
- Drain and refill all hot water heaters that have been set below 45° C / 113°F.
- Backwash pool filters and change media and water (if possible).
Staff
Maintain exclusion policy for food preparation staff exhibiting symptoms of diarrhea until at least 48 hours following the cessation of symptoms, or as directed by the acting medical officer of health.
For more information, call the Health Unit at (705) 474-1400 or 1-800-563-2808 or visit www.healthunit.biz
Adapted from the Cryptosporidium and Water: A Public Health Handbook (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1997) and the Protocol for the Investigation and Control of Cryptosporidium and Giardia Waterborne Outbreaks (Ontario Ministry of Health, 1997).
Updated July 2009
|
