Water Department

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Drinking Water & Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)

Common Questions & Answers

1. Is drinking tap water safe?

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends that residents continue to use and drink tap water as usual. As part of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Technical Brief recently issued they have stated “presence of the COVID-19 virus has not been detected in drinking-water supplies and based on current evidence the risk to water is low” Additionally, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), COVID-19 is mainly thought to be spread between people who are in close contact to on another. Furthermore, drinking water regulations require treatment of public water systems to remove or kill pathogens including viruses.

2. Do I need to boil my drinking water?

Boiling your water is not required as a precaution against COVID-19.

3. Is tap water safe to use for hand washing?

The EPA and CDC recommends that Americans continue to use and drink tap water as usual. According to the CDC, washing your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds helps prevent the spread of COVID-19.

4. Do I need to buy bottled water or store drinking water?

EPA recommends that citizens continue to use and drink tap water as usual. At this time, there are no indications that COVID-19 is in the drinking water supply or will affect the reliable supply of water.

5.What is the water department doing to ensure our drinking water remains safe?

Treatment of our drinking water is completed in compliance with the well-established EPA water treatment regulations for public water systems that prevent waterborne pathogens such as viruses from contaminating drinking water. These treatment requirements include filtration and disinfectants such as chlorine that remove or kill pathogens before they reach the tap. Additionally, the World Health Organization notes that, “conventional, centralized water treatment methods which utilize filtration and disinfection should inactivate COVID-19 virus.”

6. What, if any, Common Sense preparations has the Water Department taken to insure an uninterrupted water supply?

The water department is reviewing its Emergency Response Plan to take any action necessary to insure an uninterrupted water supply.

The water department has suspended all in-home or in-business water meter repair appointments to prevent close contact of our employees with our customers. Water meter reading for normal meter billing and final meter billing will be completed remotely.

It is recommended that customers wishing to pay their water bill either mail their payment to the Village of Cornwall-on-Hudson, 325 Hudson Street, Cornwall-on-Hudson, NY 12520, or place the Payment into the secure “BILLS” dropbox located on the parking lot side of the Village Hall.

We have taken steps to partner with other local municipalities to staff our water treatment plants should our staff become ill and unable to report for work.

We have re-allocated our staff in a manner to minimize impact on our department should a staff member become ill.

More information can be found on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website at: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/php/water.html

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The Environmental Protection Agency website at: https://www.epa.gov/coronavirus/coronavirus-and-drinking-water-and-wastewater

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PDF of COVID-19 Questions and Answers

 

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