Guideline for Operators of Commercial Ice Makers During A Boil Water Advisory
NOTE: These guidelines have been designed for generic use in a boil water advisory. Please speak to the inspection department of your local Health Unit regarding the particular circumstances of a specific boil water event.
The guidelines below are provided to operators of commercial ice makers further to the boil water advisory issued by the Medical Officer of Health.
During a Boil Water Advisory
Manufacturing of ice should be stopped until the local Medical Officer of Health deems the water quality safe. Generally this would require that the Medical Officer of Health has rescinded the boil water advisory, or that appropriate water treatment devices, as determined by the local Medical Officer of Health, have been incorporated as part of the ice-manufacturing process. All ice that has been manufactured with contaminated or suspected contaminated water must be appropriately discarded.
Upon Lifting a Boil Water Advisory
The lines connected directly to tap water must be disconnected then cleaned and sanitized according to manufacturer's instructions once the boil water advisory has been lifted. For specific instructions about flushing, cleaning and sanitizing the ice-manufacturing equipment consult your instruction manual(s) or with the company which constructed or installed the machinery.
General Guidelines for Flushing Ice-Manufacturing Equipment
A. Flush the water line to the machine inlet;
- Close the valve on the water line behind the machine and disconnect the water line from the machine inlet;
- Open the valve, run approximately twenty (20) liters of water through the valve and dispose of the water;
- Close the valve;
- Reconnect the water line to machine inlet; and
- Open the valve.
B. Flush the water lines in the machine
- Turn on the ice machine; and
- Make ice for one hour and dispose of the ice.
C. Clean and sanitize all parts and surfaces that come in contact with water and ice.
Adapted from the Cryptosporidium and Water: A Public Health Handbook (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1997) and the Protocol for the Investigation and Control of Cryptosporidium and Giardia Waterborne Outbreaks (Ontario Ministry of Health, 1997).