After water service returns, check your water utility’s current instructions and any public-health advisory before using tap water normally. There is no universal flush time: the required steps depend on why service stopped, whether an advisory is active or lifted, and your home’s plumbing and connected appliances.
Start with the reason service stopped
Look for an alert from your water utility or local health department. A water-quality event may require restrictions or a specific flushing sequence, while a pressure drop without an advisory has a separate household response. Flushing alone does not cancel an active notice or prove water is safe.
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- Boil-water advisory: Use bottled water or water boiled as local officials direct for drinking and food preparation. CDC guidance says to boil water for one minute, or three minutes above 6,500 feet, when boiling is directed. Follow the notice for other uses: CDC guidance on water emergencies.
- Do-not-drink advisory: Follow the notice’s restrictions. These advisories can involve chemicals or toxins, and boiling will not make chemically contaminated water safe: CDC guidance on water emergencies.
- Do-not-use advisory: Do not drink or use tap water for any purpose while the notice remains active. Follow local instructions: CDC guidance on water emergencies.
Follow the utility’s flush instructions after service returns
If an advisory has been lifted, read the utility’s notice before drinking the water or using appliances. It should say whether to flush the service line, indoor plumbing, faucets, or water-connected appliances, and in what order. Water may have entered household plumbing during a contamination event, so the utility may require a service-line flush before normal use.
EPA explains that flushing means opening valves and faucets to move standing water out of pipes or outlets, but the time varies with the plumbing and outlet. Do not apply a fixed number of minutes from another household or event: EPA customer FAQ on drinking-water advisories and testing.
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If pressure dropped and there is no active advisory
CDC advises flushing each faucet and shower after a noticeable pressure drop. Run each until the water begins to get hot and runs clear, without discoloration. Contact your water utility for recommendations and report the pressure decrease: CDC household prevention guidance.
This procedure is for a pressure drop; it is not a substitute for the utility’s directions after a water-quality advisory. Clear-looking water by itself does not establish that water affected by contamination is safe.
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Deal with sputtering, discoloration, or low pressure
- Sputtering: Air in the lines may cause a tap to spit or sputter. Open it slowly and let it run until sputtering stops.
- Discoloration: Flush taps until the water runs clear, and wait to wash clothes until it does. If color persists, contact the utility.
- Low pressure that continues: Particles may be caught in faucet screens. If your faucet’s instructions allow it, remove and clean the screen; do not force an aerator that will not unscrew normally.
- Persistent cloudiness, odor, or other unusual water: Contact the utility rather than assuming that more flushing is enough.
CDC’s advisory toolbox provides these troubleshooting steps; local officials’ current instructions should take priority: CDC Water Advisory Toolbox.
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Flush connected appliances separately
Refrigerators, ice makers, filters, water softeners, and water heaters are separate plumbing endpoints. Follow the utility’s instructions and the appliance or filter manufacturer’s manual; an instruction for a faucet does not automatically apply to an appliance. After an advisory, CDC’s toolbox includes appliance-specific guidance such as discarding ice and replacing a connected filter when directed.
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For a water heater, follow the manufacturer’s directions or have a professional handle the flush. EPA cautions against improvising this procedure: EPA guidance on protecting home plumbing.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Do not confuse an interruption flush with routine flushing after disuse
For a faucet or showerhead that has gone unused for a week or more, CDC’s general stagnant-water guidance is to run cold water fully for two minutes, turn it off, then run hot water until it starts to feel hot. This routine addresses water left standing during disuse; after an actual interruption or advisory, follow the incident-specific utility instructions instead: CDC guidance on flushing a water system.
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EPA notes that stagnant water can have lower disinfectant levels and conditions that promote Legionella and other bacteria. When flushing an infrequently used outlet, reduce splashing and spray where feasible, and flush cold water before hot water: EPA guidance on protecting home plumbing.
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