By Brian Cronin, Director of AquaMD

Just over the past six weeks, 2004 has quickly become known asthe "Year of the Hurricane." You'd have to be living ina cave not to have heard about all the turmoil that Charley, Francisand Ivan have caused so far in the United States alone. With theend of the hurricane season coming soon, let's hope all the restwill take it easy on us.

As most of us have seen on the news -- and some of us have experiencedfirst hand -- hurricanes can devastate property and the surroundingenvironment. But what you don't see on CNN or the Weather Channelis the impact a powerful storm can have on water supplies in hard-hitareas.

When accompanied by flooding or tidal surges, hurricanes can contaminatea town's water supply. As we know consuming contaminated water cancause serious illness, so you should never assume that the waterin the hurricane-impacted area is safe to drink.

Another thing to consider is that in areas affected by a hurricane,even the water treatment facilities may not be operating properly.Moreover, the chemicals used to treat everyday water quality maybe completely inadequate to handle a drastic increase in contamination.And, even if the water companies are prepared, flooding, tidal surges,storm damage and the resulting debris can contaminate water mainsand service lines.

One more obvious hazard: Overflowing sewage systems, which canresult in dangerous levels of bacteriological pollution. When indoubt, keep an ear out for public announcements about the safetyof the municipal water supply.

For people connected to private wells in areas affected by hurricanes,the scenario is even more urgent. No matter how deep your well isassume the water is no longer safe to drink. Even if your well hasnot been flooded, another nearby well that taps into the very sameaquifer may have been impacted.

After The Storm Blows Over

Once the storm passes and the floodwaters begin to recede, folksin the hard-hit areas begin to return home. Meanwhile, the highwinds and torrential rains from a hurricane have washed pollutionand contaminants off the surface and into surrounding lakes, streamsand reservoirs. From there, contaminated water will make its waydown into the underground aquifers from the surface supplies, whereit will affect private wells in the area.

What can you do to safeguard your family?

Make sure you have plenty of bottled water on hand, or at the veryleast boil your water for at least two minutes prior to drinkingit. Although bathing in contaminated water is not ideal, drinkingor preparing food with it is out of the question. Don't forget overflowingsewers and septic systems are also a common and dangerous bacterialthreat to the surrounding environment and drinking water.

Time To Test

When the water level finally returns to normal, that's the besttime to assess the impact to your water quality. Remember, evenin something like a hurricane, you will not be able to detect manyharmful contaminants. That's why you should always use a certifiedlab to provide the most accurate analysis of your water quality.In fact, wherever you go, make sure the lab you use conducts certifiedtesting.

Once water quality problems are identified, you can take appropriateaction. Private well disinfection, boiling water, filtration andother forms of treatment can all be useful solutions for improvingwater quality. The key is to identify the problems upfront.

When in doubt, never assume your water is safe to drink. (For moreinformation, visit the CDC'swebsite.)

Be smart, take precautions and protect your family.