A skyline of the city of St. Louis with the famous arch in the center of the image. Earlier this month, a St. Louis boil water alert was issued.

That Drinking Water Advisory Is Too Late, Filtration Isn’t

Patti Sanchez

In June 2025, thousands of St. Louis County residents drank contaminated tap water and didn’t even know it. A boil notice for St. Louis was issued as quickly as possible, advising residents to boil tap water before drinking it. But the alert came after the issue had already occurred. For many families, the warning came too late.

The St. Louis County boil water advisory is a harsh reminder. By the time a water boil advisory is issued, the damage may already be done.

What Is a Drinking Water Advisory?

A clean, well lit kitchen space with an orange text box overlay giving Boil Water Advisory Notice

A drinking water advisory is an official alert that your tap water may not be safe to use. These warnings help protect you from harmful contaminants that can get into the water supply during emergencies or system issues. Depending on the situation, advisories can require you to boil water, avoid drinking it altogether, or even stop using it for all household needs until the problem is fixed.

These alerts often follow events like:

Water main breaks
Natural disasters
Power outages at treatment plants
Low-pressure incidents that allow contaminants to seep in

Boil Water Advisory/Notice/Alert in Effect

Whether it’s called a boil water advisory, boil notice, or boil alert, it means the same thing. It’s a warning from your water provider that your tap water may be contaminated and that boiling it is required before consuming it. This contamination can include bacteria, viruses, or parasites that could make you sick if the water isn’t boiled before use.

Do Not Drink Water Advisory in Effect

Sometimes, the water isn’t safe to drink even if boiled. During these times, use bottled water or filtered water from a trusted, certified system for drinking, cooking, brushing teeth, and washing produce. Keep an eye out for updates from your local water authority to know when it’s safe again.

Do Not Use Water Advisory in Effect

At times, water can be unsafe for all household uses, and boiling won’t fix it. During these advisories, avoid using tap water for drinking, cooking, washing, or bathing. Rely on bottled water or water filtered by a certified system, and follow updates from your local water officials until the issue is resolved.

Why an Advisory is Too Late By the Time You Hear About It

A young girl filling up a glass of water from the kitchen tap.

While a boil advisory is meant to protect public health, there’s a lag time between when a public water system is contaminated, when those contaminants are detected, and the public notice to take action.

Let’s break it down:

Contamination occurs (like a pressure drop or system failure).
Water continues to flow to homes.
Testing detects the issue, hours or even a day later.
The advisory is issued to the public.

That leaves a dangerous window where families are unknowingly using unsafe water for drinking, cooking, or brushing their teeth.

You Can’t Predict the Next Alert, But You Can Prepare

An infographic map of the United States showing how many states have had water advisory notices since the start of 2025

Boil notices happen all over the country, often without warning. In fact, while this blog post was being finalized, another major boil water advisory hit. This time thousands of residents in New Orleans were placed under a boil water advisory after a main line broke. It’s just one more reminder that your water quality can change in an instant.

Unless you’re constantly checking city alerts or advisory maps, you might not find out until it’s too late. That’s why more families are turning to home water filtration systems, not just to improve taste, but to protect against the unknown. Think of it as liquid insurance for your home’s water. It doesn’t wait for an alert. It works around the clock to keep your family safer.

Why Home Water Filtration Matters

3 water filters on a concrete floor, one clean, one slightly dirty, and the other completely covered with contaminants.

Not all filters are built to handle the kind of threats that trigger a boil water advisory. And when your family’s health is on the line, the right filtration system makes all the difference.

Here’s what you need to know:

A 5 micron water filter might catch sediment like dirt and rust, but that’s just the surface.
To help reduce bacteria, parasites, and other microscopic contaminants, you’ll want a filter rated 1 micron or smaller.
Add carbon block filtration, and you’re also tackling chlorine, bad tastes, odors, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs).
For next-level protection, reverse osmosis can help reduce even more like PFAS, fluoride, nitrates, and certain microbes.
And for added peace of mind, a whole house UV filter can help neutralize bacteria and viruses that make it past other filters.

If you're looking for the best whole house water filter system, Aquasure offers powerful, year-round protection, keeping your water clean during everyday use and unexpected emergencies.

Aquasure Protection You Can Count On

Aquasure’s Signature Series Bundle that includes the Premier Series RO system, Harmony Series water softener, Fortitude V2 pre-filter, and Quantum Series UV

Aquasure’s Fortitude Pro whole house filter and Premier Series Reverse Osmosis (RO) system both offer families real protection, before, during, and after a boil notice.

Here’s a Side-by-Side Comparison:

Contaminant	Fortitude Pro Series	Premier Series RO	Quantum Series UV
Sediment (rust, sand)	✅	✅	❌ (not designed to remove sediment)
Chlorine / Chloramine	✅	✅	❌ (UV does not remove chemicals)
VOCs	✅	✅	❌
Lead	⚠️ Limited	✅	❌
Fluoride	❌	✅	❌
PFAS (forever chemicals)	✅	✅	❌
Nitrates / Nitrites	❌	✅	❌
Microplastics	⚠️ Limited	✅	❌
Bacteria / Parasites	❌	✅	✅ (inactivates pathogens with UV-C technology)

Fortitude Pro Filtration Systems for Whole House Defense

The Fortitude Pro filtration system is your first line of defense, filtering contaminants throughout the entire home, from laundry to the shower.

Premier Series RO System for Drinking Water Protection

Premier Series RO takes things further, providing purified water right at the kitchen tap. Its ultrafiltration is perfect for cooking, drinking, mixing baby formula, and providing added peace of mind.

Quantum Series UV for Whole House Pathogen Defense

The Quantum Series UV system uses advanced UV-C technology to neutralize harmful bacteria and viruses in tap water for your entire home. It’s perfect for families wanting added peace of mind against invisible contaminants, without changing the taste or pressure of your water.

Aquasure Signature Series Bundle for Complete Peace of Mind

Instead of choosing which system to invest in, bundling with the Signature Series allows you to provide better quality water throughout your entire home and enjoy pristine drinking water from your kitchen tap.

Final Takeaway: Be Ready Before the Next Alert

A phone on a kitchen counter displaying an alert notification that reads "drinking water advisory" while someone unknowingly fills a glass of water from the kitchen sink

The truth is, you may not know your water is unsafe until it's too late. And even when a boil water advisory near you is announced, how many times do you drink, rinse, or swallow water before you find out?

That’s the gap filtration fills. With Aquasure systems in place, you’re not waiting for the next emergency to act; you’re already protected. Don’t wait for a water quality disaster to take action. Provide your home water with a liquid insurance policy via the right water filter system.

FAQs

What is a boil water advisory, and why does it happen?

A boil water advisory is an official notice that your tap water may be unsafe. This is usually due to possible contamination by harmful microorganisms. These advisories are issued after events like water main breaks, power outages, or system failures. These situations can reduce water pressure and allow contaminants to enter the supply. During this time, you’re advised to boil water before using it until testing confirms it’s safe again.

What happens if you drink water under a boil advisory?

Every boil notice is unique, so it depends on what contaminants are in the water. You may experience no symptoms, or you could get sick from bacteria, viruses, or parasites. Symptoms might include nausea, diarrhea, or stomach cramps. That’s why proactive filtration is so important.

Can I shower during a boil water advisory?

Yes, you can usually shower during a boil notice, just avoid swallowing water. However, children, the elderly, and people with weakened immune systems should be extra cautious. A home water filtration system gives you added security during a boil advisory for showering and cleaning.

Is a whole house filter enough to protect my family?

It’s a strong start! A system like the Fortitude Pro filters out sediment, chlorine, and larger contaminants. But for drinking water, pairing it with a Premier RO system gives you extra protection, removing smaller, more dangerous contaminants like PFAS and heavy metals.

How to tell if there is a current boil water advisory near me?

Check your local water provider’s website or the city or county emergency management page. Many municipalities also send alerts via text, email, or social media during water emergencies. Signing up for local alert systems is a smart way to stay informed before the news reaches everyone else.

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