Resuming Operations of Your Retail Food Facility After a Flood

These guidelines provide information for retail food facilities resuming business in the aftermath of floods or other natural disasters. Food safety is crucial after a flood, particularly when there is a power outage, impacts to the drinking water supply, or floodwaters enter the building.

Food facilities required to close during a flood should not reopen until authorized by Sonoma County Environmental Health. Prior to requesting reopening, food facility owners or managers should conduct a complete self-inspection to ensure that normal operations can be resumed safely.

Guidance documents in English and Spanish:

• Resuming Operations of Your Retail Food Facility After a Flood flyer in English and Spanish (PDF: 377 kB)
• Equipment Guidance after Major Flooding flyer in English and Spanish (PDF: 225 kB)
• Flooded Food Facility Reopening Checklist in English and Spanish (PDF: 198 kB)
• Boil Water Notice flyer in English and Spanish (PDF: 230 kB)
• Food Safety during Power Outages - Retail Food Facilities flyer in English and Spanish (PDF: 339 kB)

The water supply must be potable, which means it is clean, safe to drink, and meets the California Safe Drinking Water Act standards. If no potable water is available to the food establishment, then an adequate supply of clean drinking water should be brought in (e.g., tanks, bottled water) for handwashing, food preparation, cooking, and dishwashing/ warewashing.

• The source of the water should be identified (e.g., bottled water, well water, or municipal water supply). Water that is delivered must come from an approved potable water supply.
• Single-service utensils (paper/plastic plates, forks, spoons, knives) should be used for food service and then disposed of afterward.
• A gravity-fed, clean, and safe water supply should be provided with soap and paper towels for handwashing in the food preparation area.
• If non-potable water is used to flush toilets, it should be posted when faucets provide water that it is not for drinking.
• Portable toilets with attached handwashing facilities can be used for employees and customers until regular the potable water supply is reestablished.
• If the portable toilets do not have handwashing facilities attached, alternative handwashing facilities must be provided for use by food employees in an accessible location (e.g., gravity-fed, potable water supply, soap, and paper towels).
• Upon the restoration of the potable water supply all plumbing lines should be adequately flushed and all fixtures cleaned and sanitized.

If no electricity is available for refrigeration and frozen storage:

• Provide continuous refrigeration by using generators, ice, or dry
• The volume and type of potentially hazardous foods requiring refrigeration should be limited whenever possible.
• Dry ice must be used in well-ventilated areas using appropriate safety precautions. Do not use dry ice inside of enclosed spaces (i.e., walk-in coolers/ freezers) or airtight containers. Large amounts of dry ice without adequate ventilation can result in an unsafe build-up of carbon dioxide, which can cause suffocation and death.

If no electricity or gas is available for water heaters, water can be heated using alternate methods such as electrical generators for electrical power. As a safety precaution, advise the utility company when using a generator and use it in a properly ventilated area.

• Only use generators outdoors at least 20 feet away from buildings, doors, and windows. Improper use of generators can cause fires and/or carbon monoxide For more information, please visit: https://www.cdc.gov/floods/about/

Floodwaters may have damaged the sewer or your septic system.

• If sewage connection is inoperable or in disrepair, a holding tank can be obtained to store wastewater on a temporary Wastewater tanks must be pumped regularly by an approved pumping service for proper disposal.
• If sewage is backing up inside the food facility, you must close until the sewage backup is fixed and the facility has been thoroughly cleaned and disinfected.
• Contact your local sewer authority if in city limits or Permit Sonoma Well and Septic if in unincorporated areas: https://permitsonoma.org/divisions/engineeringandconstruction/wellandsepticsystems

• Ensure the interior and exterior of the facility is structurally sound, there are no electrical or gas hazards, and that there are no opportunities for water or pests to enter the facility.
• The physical structure of the building must be in in compliance with local building and occupancy codes to ensure the safety of employees, food, and equipment.
• All mud and debris should be removed from inside and outside of premises and should be considered contaminated.
• Ensure that any rodents/pests that may have entered the facility are no longer present. Remove dead pests and sanitize any food-contact surfaces that may have come in contact with pests.
• Seal all openings into the facility to prevent future entry of pests, rodents, or
• Structural components of the building (e.g., walls, piping, ceiling, and HVAC system/ventilations systems) affected by flood waters should be cleaned, repaired, and disinfected, where
• Mold contamination is a Put on personal protective equipment (e.g., gloves, mask, goggles, rubber boots) to protect yourself while cleaning up mold.
• Please review the following website for additional mold cleanup information: https://www.cdc.gov/mold-health/communication-resources/guide-to-mold-cleanup.html

Evaluate the safety of any food items that have been submerged under floodwaters or may have had direct contact with non-potable water. For example:

• Fresh fruits and vegetables that have been inundated by flood waters cannot be adequately cleaned and should be discarded.
• Refrigerated and frozen foods, such as meat, poultry, shell eggs, egg products, and milk, that have been immersed in flood waters, should be discarded.
• Products in containers with screw-caps, snap-lids, crimped-caps (soda pop bottles), twist- caps, flip-top, snap-open, and similar type closures that have been in contact with floodwaters cannot be properly disinfected and must be discarded.
• Food packed in permeable packaging (plastic, paper, cardboard, cloth, and similar containers) that have been water damaged must be discarded.

Salvaging and reconditioning food within the facility is not permitted. Food items must be disposed of in a way that prevents access from public scavengers and ensures the food will not reappear as damaged merchandise in any outlet.

General Equipment and Surfaces

• Clean, repair and disinfect all surfaces affected by flood waters, including:
  • Non-food contact surfaces (e.g., floors, walls, ceilings)
  • Food contact surfaces (e.g., equipment, utensils, )
• All filters on equipment should be removed and replaced if not designed to be cleaned in
• All sinks should be thoroughly cleaned and sanitized before resuming
• Equipment should be inspected to ensure it is structurally sound and
• Stove units should be thoroughly cleaned and checked by the fire department, local utility company, or authorized service representative prior to use.

3-Compartment Sink/Dishwasher

A commercial dishwasher or 3-compartment sink should be utilized to wash, rinse, and sanitize equipment and utensils using potable water, and:

• Chlorine bleach or other approved sanitizers should be used for sanitizing food contact surfaces and
• An approved test kit should be available to ensure appropriate sanitizer

Refrigeration

• Refrigerated display and storage cases and other refrigerator equipment used to store food should be cleared of all contaminated products prior to cleaning.
• Refrigerated storage equipment should be thoroughly washed inside and outside with a hot detergent solution and rinsed free of detergents and residues (Special attention should be given to lighting, drainage areas, ventilation vents, comers, cracks and crevices, door handles and door gaskets).

If the insulation, door gaskets, hoses, etc. are damaged by flood or liquefied food items, then replace these parts or discard the damaged refrigeration equipment.

Ice Machines

• Replace all ice machine filters and beverage dispenser filters, and flush all water lines, including steam water lines and ice machine water lines, for 10 to 15 minutes.
• Discard all ice in ice machines; clean and sanitize the interior surfaces (ice making compartment and storage bin); run the ice through 3 cycles, and discard ice with each cycle.

Exhaust Ventilation

• Any exhaust systems and hoods should be thoroughly cleaned and freed of any Consult professional service technicians, as needed.

HVAC

• Have your facility’s HVAC system checked and cleaned by a maintenance professional who is experienced in mold cleanup before you turn it If the HVAC system was flooded with water, turning on the mold-contaminated HVAC will spread mold throughout the building.

• Verify that all equipment used for food preparation (e.g., cooking, cooling, and reheating) is functioning and properly calibrated prior to use.
• Verify that that all open-top and refrigerated and freezer display cases, walk-in refrigerators, and walk-in freezers are capable of consistently maintaining cold holding temperatures (<41°F or in a frozen state) before food items are placed in the units.
• Ensure that equipment can heat to the appropriate cooking temperature (>165°F) for raw animal foods and maintain hot foods at the appropriate (>135°F) temperature.

Offer a reduced menu when only a limited number of trained employees are available. A full menu may be offered when there is an adequate number of trained employees to staff each area of the operation.

If you have any questions, please contact Sonoma County Department of Health Services, Environmental Health at (707) 565-6565.