Water & sewer outages
Water mains break, supplies get contaminated, and a big earthquake could cut water and sewer for weeks. Stored water and knowing what a boil order means go a long way.
Utah has 978 public water systems, and when one becomes dangerously contaminated it issues a boil order. After a major Salt Lake County earthquake, FEMA modeling predicts more than 300,000 households without drinkable water for 90 days. Utah DEQ (opens source in a new tab) Deseret News (opens source in a new tab)
Why it matters in Utah
- When drinking water becomes dangerously contaminated, the local water system issues a boil order, and it has 24 hours to notify people who could drink the water. Utah DEQ (opens source in a new tab) EPA (opens source in a new tab)
- Boil orders happen somewhere in Utah every year. In 2026, Riverton (irrigation water in the lines), Junction (burn-scar runoff), and Beaver (a broken supply line) all had one. KUTV (opens source in a new tab) Utah Public Notice (opens source in a new tab) KUTV (opens source in a new tab)
- FEMA modeling predicts that a magnitude 7.0 Salt Lake County earthquake could leave more than 300,000 households without drinkable water for 90 days. Deseret News (opens source in a new tab)
- More than two million Wasatch Front residents rely on aging aqueducts; a break could leave hundreds of thousands without water for six months or longer. Utah Seismic Safety Commission (opens source in a new tab)
- In a 2024 Envision Utah poll, Utahns said they worried more about losing drinking water, power, and sewer service after an earthquake than about deaths or long-term devastation. Salt Lake Tribune (opens source in a new tab)
Who's most affected
- Families with babies: during a boil order, ready-to-use formula is the safest choice if you use formula. CDC (opens source in a new tab)
- Homes on private wells, which need disinfecting and testing after a flood. CDC (opens source in a new tab)
- Everyone after a big earthquake, when water, sewer, power, and gas could be out for days to months. UGS (opens source in a new tab)
What to do
1 Before
- Store at least 1 gallon of water per person per day, starting with a 14-day supply. Utah DEM (opens source in a new tab)
- Strap your water heater: the tank holds clean water you can use in an outage. Utah DEM (opens source in a new tab) FEMA (opens source in a new tab)
- Look up which water system serves your address, and know where it posts notices. Utah DEQ (opens source in a new tab) Utah DEQ (opens source in a new tab)
- Build an emergency toilet: two buckets, heavy-duty bags, and kitty litter. Be Ready Utah (opens source in a new tab)
- Keep plain unscented bleach, hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol, moist towelettes, garbage bags, and ties. Be Ready Utah (opens source in a new tab) Ready.gov (opens source in a new tab)
2 During
- Boil water advisory: bring water to a full rolling boil for 1 minute (3 minutes above 6,500 feet) and let it cool. Use boiled or bottled water for drinking, cooking, brushing teeth, ice, pets, and baby formula. If your water system's notice says to boil longer, follow it. CDC (opens source in a new tab) CDC (opens source in a new tab) Utah DEQ (opens source in a new tab)
- Do-not-drink order: boiling won't help, because the problem may be chemicals. Use bottled water for drinking and cooking. Do-not-use orders are rare: use bottled water for everything. CDC (opens source in a new tab)
- Dishes: a dishwasher with a sanitizing cycle is generally fine. To hand-wash, soak dishes for 1 minute in 1 teaspoon of unscented bleach per gallon of warm water. CDC (opens source in a new tab)
- Can't boil? Utah DEQ allows 1/8 teaspoon of plain household bleach per gallon; let it stand 30 minutes. Utah DEQ (opens source in a new tab) Ready.gov (opens source in a new tab)
- No running water? Your water heater, pipes, and ice cubes hold clean water. To use the heater, turn off its power or gas first, open the drain at the bottom, and open a hot-water faucet. Never use water from a heating radiator. FEMA (opens source in a new tab) CDC (opens source in a new tab)
- After an earthquake, don't flush or pour anything down drains until you know the sewer pipes are safe. Use a two-bucket toilet: one for urine, one lined with two bags and kitty litter. Be Ready Utah (opens source in a new tab)
- Pool and spa water is fine for washing, but not for drinking. CDC (opens source in a new tab)
3 After
- When a boil order lifts, flush your household pipes and throw out ice made during the order. Utah DEQ (opens source in a new tab)
- Bury waste at least 200 feet from water and living areas, or keep it in a lidded can until it can be collected. Never dump it in streams or canals. Be Ready Utah (opens source in a new tab)
- Refill and date your stored water. Ready.gov (opens source in a new tab)