Food Safety
Your refrigerator will keep food safe for up to 4 hours during a power outage. Keep the door closed as much as possible. Discard refrigerated perishable food such as meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and leftovers after 4 hours without power.
After a power outage never taste food to determine its safety. You can’t rely on appearance or odor to determine whether food is safe.
- Always keep meat, poultry, fish, and eggs refrigerated at or below 40 °F and frozen food at or below 0 °F. This may be difficult when the power is out.
- Keep the refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible to maintain the cold temperature.
- A full freezer will hold the temperature for approximately 48 hours (24 hours if it is half full) if the door remains closed.
- Obtain dry or block ice to keep your refrigerator as cold as possible if the power is going to be out for a prolonged period of time.
- Always discard any items in the refrigerator that have come into contact with raw meat juices.
- Use a food thermometer to check the temperature of your food right before you cook or eat it. Throw away any food that has a temperature of more than 40 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Watch a video on food safety during a power outage.
- Use FoodSafety.gov food charts to help you decide what to keep and what to toss.
Private Well Water Safety
Flooding can contaminate private wells with bacteria or other harmful substances, making the water unsafe to drink. If your well has been flooded:
- Stay away from the well pump while flooded to avoid electric shock.
- Boil your water for at least one minute after it reaches a rolling boil, or use an alternative water source.
- Look for signs of contamination—cloudy or muddy water may indicate your well has been impacted.
- Get your water tested for coliform bacteria by an approved drinking water lab before using it for drinking or cooking.
How to disinfect your well after flooding
The best option is to work with a professional. If one is not available,
these steps from the EPA can help.
- Run an outside spigot until the water runs clear.
- For many private wells, mixing 4 cups of bleach with 5 gallons of water will be enough to treat 200 gallons of water which yields approximately 50 ppm or 50mg/L
- Circulate the bleach by running an outside hose into the well casing until you smell chlorine from the hose.
- Turn on all cold water faucets inside until you smell chlorine, then turn them off.
- Wait at least 8 hours before using the water.
- Flush the system until no chlorine smell remains.
- Test your water at least 5 days after disinfection—only use it for drinking or cooking once results confirm it’s safe.
- For more detailed guidance, visit https://www.epa.gov/privatewells/what-do-your-private-well-after-flood?