New baby in the family? Tips for healthy water use for infants.

Test for nitrates and coliform bacteria. A high level of nitrates in drinking water can be deadly for infants under 6 months of age.

• Boiling water for the infant for the purposes of bacterial safety is unnecessary if the Coliform Bacteria test shows “Coliform Absent".
• Boiling water too long can concentrate nitrates or any metals, such as lead or copper, in the water and make the water unsafe to drink.
• Never use hot tap water or a plumbed in “hot tap” to make formula or food for a baby. Always start with cold water.
• If your doctor wants you to purchase water for an infant, purchase “Distilled” or “Purified” water, not “Drinking” water.
• If a water tap has not been run in the last 6 hours, run the water for several minutes before using for formula or other drinking/cooking purposes. You don’t want to be serving or drinking water standing in the pipes a long time.
• Ice makers often use copper to create ice and are plumbed with copper lines. Too much copper in drinking water can cause stomach upsets for children as well as adults. Check the copper level in your icemaker water.