When there’s an issue with the quality of their drinking water, residents need to be informed fast. For boil water advisories (BWAs), public water systems must get the word out within 24 hours of learning about potentially hazardous conditions.
While timeliness is critical, so is the message that’s delivered.
Generally, residents have a high awareness of risks associated with public boil water advisories. But if the messaging falls short, compliance and trust suffer.
It’s a scenario utilities have seen play out before, and one they can counteract.
When boil water advisories miss the mark
Boil water advisories are meant to offer clear, protective guidance during emergencies. However, they can leave residents with lingering questions.
Late last year in Washington, D.C., a boil advisory directed people to boil their water to kill pathogens, but it didn’t initially mention that boiling water can actually increase lead concentration if lead pipes are present. Public health advocates quickly pointed out the omission, urging DC Water to clarify that water should be filtered first, then boiled, to avoid compounding the risk.
The D.C. case speaks to a larger issue: public agencies can struggle to strike a balance between urgency and clarity. When advisory instructions are vague, incomplete, or, other times, overly complex, residents are left uncertain about what’s truly safe.
It goes back to the question of What does the public need to know to protect their health?
Looking at BWAs through the media lens
A large portion of the public hears about boil water advisories through local news, whether it’s a local news segment, an article online, or via social media. These public health information messengers don’t always tell the whole story.
In an analysis of 1,040 news articles covering BWAs, only around half the articles included any sort of guidance on how to properly boil water. Just 3% relayed the CDC’s instructions in their entirety. This leaves a large segment of the affected population without information on how to curb risk.
It’s also worth noting that only about 56% of articles mentioned when or how the issue was expected to be resolved. Almost 80% didn’t offer a timeline for updates, and just 8% included a map specifying the impacted area.
Local news outlets do their best to distill technical advisories into accessible stories, but the variability in what gets included reflects a lack of consistency in how original information is shared. If the communications a utility passes along to the media is unclear or incomplete, it can snowball into confusion.
What does a strong BWA look like?
Leads with clarity
A strong BWA wastes no time in communicating what’s going on or who it affects. Whereas a headline like “Important Water Service Notice” can be easily overlooked or seen as low-priority by residents, one like “Urgent Boil Water Advisory Issued for All Downtown Cleveland” instantly communicates the issue and informs the public of whether or not they need to take action.
Delivers directives fast
Within the first few sentences of a BWA, residents should have a clear understanding of what next steps should be. Consider this sample text: “Due to a water main break, do not drink tap water without boiling it for at least one full minute until further notice.” The call to action is clear, and inclusion of the why adds credibility and helps the public better understand the stakes.
Opts for plain language
Terms like “coliform levels” or “negative pressure event” don’t resonate with the average person. If BWAs include too much technical jargon, they run the risk of alienating people and leaving them with more questions than answers. Water utilities should speak plainly and reserve more technical information for follow-up communications, as needed.
Accounts for expected questions
Residents are likely to have questions about how BWAs affect their day-to-day activities: Can I shower? Can I wash the dishes? Can my pets drink the water? Answering these questions within the advisories prevents people from having to turn elsewhere for information or make their own judgement calls that can lead to unsafe decisions.
Formatted for readability
When a boil water advisory looks like a wall of text, it’s likely to be met with a sigh and tired eyes. People should be able to scan advisories and get the information they need. That means clearly defined sections made up of short paragraphs — using bullet points for steps like “how to boil your water.” Bolded calls to action and maps that show affected areas make details all the easier to absorb.
Includes a human element
A quote from a utility official or public health expert can go a long way in both underscoring the seriousness of a BWA and also building confidence around what’s being done about it. It can be as simple as: “Our crews are working around the clock to resolve the issue and conduct the necessary testing.” This adds a human voice to the situation, offering both reassurance and credibility.
Resources to help get advisories right
While every situation is unique, utilities don’t have to start from scratch when crafting a boil water advisory. Trusted templates can help guide messaging.
The CDC offers a Drinking Water Advisory Communication Toolkit (DWACT) that includes ready-to-use templates, checklists, fact sheets, and audience-specific guidance to make messaging more immediate and accessible. The EPA’s Public Notification Rule outlines requirements but also proven practices for effective public health alerts.
Several states have created templates that public water systems can use, too. States like Massachusetts and Washington offer fill-in-the-blank templates that support clear communications. North Carolina, meanwhile, offers tiered templates based on urgency alongside accessible communication resources.
By leaning on these templates and the strategies outlined above, utilities can act quickly and make sure that yes, the public has all the information they need to protect their health and confidence in the utilities that serve them.
