Posted 4/11/01 Make sure water is safe if your well gets flooded You need to assume the water is contaminated if your well or basement floods this spring. And to be safe, water should be boiled before drinking, cooking or mixing drinks. ěHave the water from the well tested, and disinfect the well if bacteria are present,î says Barbara Liukkonen, an educator with the Water Resources Center, University of Minnesota Extension Service. Water should be boiled a minimum of three minutes at a ěrolling boil.î If your well has been inundated with floodwater, you need to disinfect it to assure a safe domestic water supply to protect your familyís health. Floodwater carries bacteria, viruses, parasites, and other disease-causing organisms, as well as chemicals. Detailed information on disinfecting wells, floods and safe drinking water is available on the Internet at . You can also contact a county office of the U of M Extension Service. ©Post Review