Food Premises Emergency Response

No Power… No Water… Sewage Back-up… Flood…

No food premise should be operated during a power interruption, a drain or sewage back-up, storm water flooding, or an interrupted water supply.

Your municipal sewer and water treatment system is owned and operated by either the Haldimand County Public Works Department or Norfolk County Public Works Department, depending on which county you live in.

Power outages

• Close your food premises.
• Keep refrigerators and freezer doors closed.
• Contact your local power utility.

Interrupted water supply

• Close your food premises.
• If your water source is municipal water, contact the Public Works Department of either Haldimand County or Norfolk County, depending on where you live, to determine the nature and length of the water supply interruption.

Drain or sewage back-up and flooding

• Close your food premises if flooding water or sewage backs up into food preparation, storage, service areas or basement.
• Contact the Public Works Department of either Haldimand County or Norfolk County, depending on where you live, or a private contractor if you are on a private sewage system.
• Destroy any food that may have come into contact with flood water or sewage. You may need to document the types and amounts of foods that need to be destroyed for insurance purposes.

For further information, contact your local Public Health Inspector in the Environmental Health Team, Haldimand-Norfolk Health Unit.

Adapted with permission of Peel Public Health.

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