Establish what happened during closure
Record the shutdown duration, whether building water remained in use, any supply interruptions and maintenance already completed. Ask the building’s responsible person to review the water system before the dispenser is released.
CDC reopening guidance identifies risks from prolonged low use and calls for a planned approach to the building and its water-using devices.
Follow the correct sequence
Coordinate building-level actions with the person responsible for the water system. Then follow the specific purifier’s instructions for cleaning, replacing consumables, flushing and recommissioning.
Do not invent a universal flushing time or chemical dose. Where instructions are missing or the condition is uncertain, obtain competent advice and keep the unit unavailable pending resolution.
Record the release decision
Inspect for leaks and complete the prescribed functional and water-quality checks. Taste, clarity or a single dissolved-solids meter reading cannot establish drinking-water safety.
Sampling decisions should follow the site assessment and relevant authority advice. Keep alternative drinking-water access in place until the responsible person signs off the station.
Put it into practice
Your planning worksheet
A reopening checklist based on appropriate equipment and public-authority guidance.
| Reopening checklist | Record / sign-off |
|---|---|
| Closure history | Dates, supply interruptions and low-use areas |
| Building-water review | Responsible person and completed actions |
| Equipment instructions | Cleaning, consumables and flushing procedure used |
| Checks and exceptions | Leaks, function, required testing and unresolved items |
| Release | Date, authorised reviewer and alternative access arrangements |
Sources & context
- US CDC — Reopening Buildings Guidance
Supports assessment after prolonged low use, a building-water plan and equipment-specific recommissioning. Local authority advice and equipment instructions govern site actions.
- US CDC — About Choosing Home Water Filters
Supports matching treatment to the water supply and specific contaminants. Dispensing calculations and worksheets are GAGE planning examples, not CDC recommendations.
Sources checked 9 November 2026. Worksheets are editorial planning tools. Confirm site-specific requirements, current local guidance and the instructions for the equipment you use.
