BOUNTIFUL, Utah — As hundreds of Utahns clean up from flash flooding, they are now being warned about other dangers.
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“They’d want to remove anything that was saturated with water, your carpets, padding, mattresses,” Davis County Health Bureau Manager of Sanitation Linda Ebert said.
Flood water can be a mixture of storm runoff, secondary water or even raw sewage.
Davis County Health Department recommends rubber boots, gloves, goggles, and N95 masks for anyone interacting with floodwater.
“Everything we’ve seen is 24-to-48 hours, dry it out as fast as you can to prevent mold growth,” said environmental health director Rachelle Blackham.
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Mold spores can become airborne and inhaled. While it affects everyone differently, people can often suffer upper respiratory problems. Symptoms can be worse for people with mold allergies or asthma.
Health experts say it’s also important to wash off after being in and around floodwater to prevent possible illness.
