During a water outage, which action is explicitly required to protect food safety?

• A. Clean and sanitize all equipment connected to the water system
• B. Discard all ice in ice machines
• C. Wash and sanitize all food contact surfaces
• D. All of the above

Answer: (D)

During a water outage, the priority is to prevent any contaminated water from reaching food and surfaces. Discarding ice is essential because ice can be made from the outage water and immediately become a vehicle for contaminants if used. Cleaning and sanitizing equipment that relies on water helps remove residues and microbes that could persist and contaminate food when water service is restored. Washing and sanitizing all food contact surfaces addresses any contamination that could occur from interrupted cleaning routines or exposure to unsafe conditions during the outage. Taken together, these steps comprehensively reduce multiple routes of contamination, so all of the above actions are required.