Harmful gut bacteria such as E. coli O157 may be present in sewage and animal slurry, and this can pass into floodwater, the Health Protection Agency has given warning.

Anyone without a clean supply of mains water should collect water from one of the hundreds of bowsers, or mini-tankers, situated around the county, or use the bottled water that is being delivered by the Army.

If anyone does develop a stomach upset following direct flooding or contact with sewage they should seek medical advice.

Children, elderly and ill people who may be particularly vulnerable to infection should be kept out of the affected area until clean-up is over. Children and pets should not be allowed to play in floodwater.

Wash children's hands frequently, and always before meals. Wash floodwater-contaminated toys with hot water, or disinfect them, before allowing them to be used.

Don't eat any food that has been covered by or come into contact with sewage or floodwater.

Only boiled bowser water or bottled water should be used for drinking, brushing teeth, washing food, cooking and making ice.

Continue to use boiled bowser water or bottle water until the mains supply has been tested and shown to be safe. Water direct from the hot tap is not suitable for drinking whether in flood circumstances or not.

Boiling kills pathogenic bacteria, viruses and parasites that may be present in water. Bring the water to a rolling boil and then allow it to cool before drinking. It can be stored in a clean jug covered by a saucer in a cool place (preferably in the fridge).

Parents of infants should beware of using bottled mineral water to make up baby milk. While the mineral contents of bottled water are within safe levels for adults, some brands contain levels of salts that could harm a developing child, official studies have found.

As a general rule, sodium concentrations of less than 20mg/L are preferable and those containing more than 200 mg/L should be avoided. There should be labelling on the bottle that will indicate if it is not suitable for making up infant formula.

The Department of Health and the National Childbirth Trust already advise mothers to use tap water - boiled and then cooled - to make up bottle feed.

Where the drinking water supply is either interrupted or contaminated by the floods, the Health Protection Agency advises three options for the use of water to make infant formula milk:

a. The preferred option is to use water dispensed from a bowser, which has been boiled then covered and allowed to cool for no more than 30 minutes. If no bowser water is available, bottled mineral water may be boiled and used in the same way.

b. Ready-made liquid formula milk may be used as an alternative to powdered feeds.

c. If neither option a or b is possible because there is no power supply to allow boiling, bottled water (table, spring or mineral water) can be used unboiled to prepare baby feeds, but the prepared feed should then be used immediately. The use of unboiled bowser water should be avoided.

If the water company has advised that the domestic supply is unsafe for drinking it is inadvisable to use this for bathing infants. In this situation bowser water, or bottled water, are safe alternatives.

A good means of conserving water is to reuse water that has been used for washing and bathing for flushing toilets. To save water, toilets need not be flushed after urination but only after defaecation.

Families left without power and cleaning running water are also at greater risk of injuries, stress and some infections, so should take extra care to stay well.

More information can be found at www.hpa.org.uk/flooding/guidance.htm

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