What's lurking in the floodwaters?

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Welcome to New York.

If the rats are bad enough.

People in these storm -- states are also dealing with floodwaters filled with dangerous bacteria sewage and gasoline.

Thanks in large part to be leaking of the sewers.

Doctor Richard for Sheen is I would say Iran back first shine is the director of the first -- senate for comprehensive medicine.

And so they've done some testing on the -- -- the water here that we see people wading through in some cases to get back to their apartments.

And it's full of E.

Coli a and other nastiness.

-- what what are we to do.

While this is potential disaster after the disaster -- -- water is critical we needed every day and we need a lot of it every day.

In areas where we've been told that there's contamination due to.

Flooding well water streets which has been flooded and also municipalities that only have their well well what.

We have a problem right now so what we need to we tell our audience about is things that they need to watch for any in particular what they can do about it.

Well I I site you are saying something about adding chlorine bleach to watch her.

Yeah we only have a few choices and areas where there is contamination and if you've been told -- was contaminated you could boil the water for about a minute.

And you gotta bring it to a full boil that means you need to see the water bubbling -- full for a full minute the second thing you can do.

Is you can add chlorine bleach too and he had about he drops of chlorine bleach for every gallon of water.

It is clear now if it's cloudy need to double that amount about sixteen drops of water of of.

You're telling me that -- I've got water that has sewage and gasoline and I can solve the problem by adding.

Some bleach -- just boiling it for awhile if you see now here's a drink that water.

Now and and here's the here's the other part of it if you see that the water is running clear you still need to make sure if you're in as -- -- -- and municipalities.

That you don't use the water at all.

So -- need to use bottled water.

Even those situations where there is no other water available and the water is running clear.

-- -- -- -- -- You could add bleak shooting can boast the take out most of the bacteria.

And most of the most of probably you cannot get rid of the contaminant to get rid of gasoline you -- -- -- oil he wouldn't be drinking that water that you -- oil obsolete bleach out maybe you you you actually that now you can you can know you can drink that water.

But you need to be careful for instance ABC water on the streets you you can't go on and touch that water in updating our children.

Correct now if there's particularly the elderly children and you know compromise.

If you're an area where this concern or you believe that your water may be contaminated you can actually take a shower -- But they're recommending that to be extremely careful with people that are compromised or.

Indicates the children why because they might -- just some of that water and that may have some of those contaminants in it and that's what.

Where the problems arise what we.

Haven't been -- and New York City took such ahead.

But most of the city is not under any sort of a warning and hasn't been told to boil water around.

Can you really trust -- the city's water supply -- at this -- the Environmental Protection Agency has tested the water for New York City.

And they determined that the water is safe -- for consumption.

-- many municipalities they are adding extra chlorine as well to take that extra precaution but in New York City has contestants being deemed safe so far.

Can we trust the people doing the testing I -- I I always worry about this kind of thing didn't Davis said the air was safe after 9/11 two and now people have died.

If anyone is concerned about it I think that bottled water still is the safe way to go you can -- -- what about showering -- you know on which a kitten in a bathtub full of water that may have E.

-- iron gasoline remnants -- well.

And until we have this sorted out we have to be extra careful at this point.

I believe it is safe for people to.

Shower.

Or -- in the water the important things to keep that water.

Away from their skin away from their mouth away from their ears for instance where infections can.

Can enter their body.

They need to be careful if they're entering areas where there may be flooding.

-- make sure they Wear protective garments and and to watch their children and their pets you know if they go outside the risk really is.

That they can go out walk around in some of this polluted water bring it back into the house.

And then you've got that.

Contamination on your body so we need to make sure that people take those kind of precautions -- as well so everything -- -- in the aftermath of Katrina.

-- our having a break here in New York doctor good to see you thank you very into some.

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