ASU Now spoke with Morteza Abbaszadegan, an Arizona State University professor of environmental microbiology and engineering, about the composition and safety of floodwaters and what to do after the floodwater recedes. Abbaszadegan is the founding director of the National Science Foundation Water and Environmental Technology Center at ASU. His research expertise is in health-related water microbiology, pathogen removal, water quality in distribution systems, and techniques to detect viruses, bacteria and parasites in water environments.
Excerpt: One of the biggest issues after a flood of this magnitude is microbial pathogens. Some residents will have no choice but to wade into floodwater. And, if that’s the case, they should focus on safety and hygiene. Don’t drink the water, don’t touch your mouth after your hands have been in the water, don’t cook with the water. Boiling water before you drink it will help. Drying supplies that have been soaked also will help.
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Source: The Water Network | Flood Prevention, Mitigation, & Recovery