What to do if you touch floodwater or contaminated water
Floodwaters can be contaminated with germs which could make you and your whānau unwell. To keep yourself safe, here are some things to remember after a flood:
• Wash hands with soap and warm water and dry well after touching flood water or anything it has touched
• Wash hands before making food or eating
• Throw away all food and drinking water that has touched floodwater, including things in containers. Put waste into bin bags to avoid rats and flies
• Disinfect surfaces and kitchen utensils or equipment that came into contact with floodwater
• Do not eat garden produce if soil was flooded
• Do not collect and eat shellfish from the river mouth or harbour after a flood.
For more advice about floods and health, please visit Floods and health (info.health.nz)
For more information on the flooding and where to get assistance please go to https://www.facebook.com/OtagoCDEM and contact your respective councils: Waitaki District Council, Central Otago District Council, Dunedin City Council, Clutha District Council and Otago Regional Council.