If the water supply is off when the establishment opens, what is the required first action?

• A. Open with bottled water
• B. Continue service as normal
• C. Close the establishment and notify the regulatory authority
• D. Contact customers

Answer: (C)

When the water supply is off, sanitation and safe food handling can't be guaranteed. Water is essential for handwashing, cleaning and sanitizing equipment and surfaces, and for cooking processes. Because of this, the first action must be to close the establishment and notify the regulatory authority. This lets officials assess the situation, determine whether any alternate sanitary measures are allowed, and guide when and how the operation can safely reopen.

Opening with bottled water or continuing service would not meet sanitation requirements, since there are many critical tasks—like dishwashing and surface cleaning—that require a reliable water supply. Simply contacting customers doesn’t address the immediate health risk or regulatory obligations.