Enclosure (3) to COMDTINST 6220.9A
FOOD, WATER, AND SANITATION
A. Background. Outbreaks of waterborne and foodborne illness can rapidly degrade the ability of
Coast Guard crews to perform their missions. Coast Guard vessels have extensive and integrated
systems to prevent illness related to food, water and sanitation. Strict adherence to prescribed food
practices, water purification, cleanliness, and waste disposal will minimize the risk of waterborne
and foodborne illness to personnel engaged in Coast Guard operations.
B. Safe Food Practices.
1. Food must be prepared and stored in accordance with reference (f). Foodstuffs from alien
migrant sources should not be brought aboard Coast Guard vessels. Foods from alien migrant
sources shall not be served to Coast Guard personnel.
2. Meals should be prepared and served separately for Coast Guard personnel and alien migrants.
Attention is required to ensure meals reach the intended persons and that cross-mixing or
contamination of foods does not occur. Once food has left controlled areas to be served to alien
migrants, it shall not be returned for storage or reuse. Food should be delivered to a neutral area
by food service staff or mess attendants away from the holding area; then to the holding area and
served by non-food service personnel. Basically, food service personnel and mess attendants
should not be in the vicinity of migrants.
3. Individuals who prepare foods must be healthy and free of communicable diseases. To minimize
risk of inadvertent disease transmission, food service personnel should not come into close
contact with alien migrants. Alien migrants shall not enter areas where food is prepared, served
or stored for Coast Guard personnel.
C. Potable Water.
1. Coast Guard vessels have extensive and intregrated systems that ensure safe potable water.
Guidance provided in references (g) and (i) will safeguard the integrity of shipboard water
supplies. Water for human consumption should be readily accessible and available in ample
supplies. Drinking water requirements are affected by several variables, including climatic
factors, presence of injuries or medical conditions, general state of health, gender and age. A
rule of thumb is 2.5 to 3 liters of drinking water per person per day. Additional requirements of
water are needed for food preparation, personal hygiene, sanitation and laundering. Total water
requirements for all purposes are typically 7.5 to 15 liters per person per day.
2. Water used for human consumption, personal hygiene and food preparation must be potable
(maintain a free chlorine residual of 0.2 parts per million (ppm) at all times) and free of
contamination. Water used for sanitation (e.g., sewage disposal) need not be potable, providing
there are safeguards preventing its use for human consumption.
3. Water for human consumption should be obtained only from sources for which the safety is
certain. If emergency purification of water is required, enclosure (5) outlines several methods to
produce potable water for emergency use.
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