After a flood, it’s natural to worry about how the damage has affected your home—and your water. Whether you rely on tap or well water, flooding can lead to contamination that isn’t always visible. So, how can you protect your family after a flood?

Why would floods affect your water quality?

 

Floods may impact your drinking water in a few different ways.

• Runoff pollution: Floodwaters pick up pollutants from roads, parking lots, and debris, which can flow into surface water sources.
• Well contamination: Floodwater can seep into the ground and contaminate private wells and underground aquifers.
• Damaged well systems: Cracks in well casings or poorly sealed well caps can allow floodwater to carry bacteria and chemicals into your drinking supply.
• Sewage overflows: Flooding can overwhelm sewer systems, causing untreated waste to enter lakes, rivers, and groundwater.
• Public system disruption: Municipal water supplies may be damaged or lose power during a flood, affecting water treatment and distribution.

 

What is the danger of contaminated water from a flood?

 

If your drinking water is contaminated after a flood, there are several ways this could be dangerous to your family.

The most immediate threat is bacteria contamination. This can cause a variety of health issues including:

• Waterborne illnesses
• Diarrhea
• Vomiting
• Fever
• Other gastrointestinal issues

 

Outside of bacteria contamination, there are a variety of other chemicals and contaminants that could have negative health effects. That’s why bacteria testing is a smart first step. It serves as a leading indicator: if bacteria are present, there’s a high chance other contaminants are too. Using a bacteria test kit is a fast and simple way to detect initial contamination in your drinking water after a flood.

 

How to test your water after a flood

 

You will have slightly different testing needs based on if you are on city water or well water.

 

Testing City Water after a Flood

 

If you are on city water, your local water department will notify you of boil water advisories when flooding affects the public water supply. During an advisory, follow all local guidelines and wait until you’re notified that the water is safe to drink again.

If you are wanting to check your water during a flood, the Safe Home DIY Bacteria Test Kit is a easy and affordable way to check for bacteria contamination. Bacteria is an indicator of general contamination in your drinking water.

After the boil water advisory is lifted, if you want extra peace of mind about your water quality then the Safe Home Premium Drinking Water Test Kit is the best option. This will let you send in a water supply to our EPA-Certified lab and have it test for 50 of the most important parameters for drinking water.

 

Testing Well Water after a Flood

 

If you rely on well water, you won’t receive public boil water advisories—so it’s even more critical to test your water after a flood.

We recommend the Safe Home® Ultimate In-Lab Test Kit for comprehensive testing. This kit includes a DIY Bacteria Test for immediate results. It screens for over 50 types of coliform bacteria, including E. coli, which is a strong indicator of floodwater contamination.

If your well tests positive for bacteria, stop using your water immediately and switch to a safe source like bottled water until your well can be properly disinfected and retested.

The Ultimate Kit also includes everything you need to collect a sample and send it to our EPA-certified lab, where your water will be tested for 200 parameters—including metals, inorganics, organics, pesticides, and more. This gives you a full picture of your water quality and helps you compare results to EPA safety limits for drinking water.

 

 

Need more advice?

FEMA has a great guide about returning home after a flood you can read here.

 

Want to buy testing? Here are the kits recommended after potential flood damage.

DIY Bacteria in Water Test Kit

Premium Drinking Water Test Kit (In-Lab)

Ultimate Drinking Water Test Kit (In-Lab)

 

Need help picking a kit or have questions about your drinking water? Feel free to reach out to us and we’d be happy to help.