LINCOLN, Neb. (KMTV) — Though it is assuring citizens that drinking water is still safe for consumption, the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) says it will continue monitoring the disinfection process for the water system.
The Drinking Water Division of the DHHS said in a press release on Tuesday morning, that the water is still safe to use and shared that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has not detected COVID-19 in drinking wate. They say conventional water treatment methods of filtration and disinfection should remove or inactivate the virus
“Common disinfection methods used in water and wastewater treatment are expected to be effective for inactivation of coronaviruses when executed properly,” says Sue Dempsey, administrator of the DHHS Drinking Water Division.
Dempsey has advised water system operators to continue monitoring drinking water disinfection processes for systems with upstream wastewater both during and after the outbreak for infectious coronaviruses.
Though the DHHS says drinking water from the tap is still safe for consumption, federal guidance has recommended that the public consider maintaining a supply of bottled water. For those who are ill and isolating at home, the DHHS says it is easiest to use bottled water instead of sanitizing glasses that shared with others in the household.
