Can you give your pet seltzer? Is it safe to bathe? Answering your questions about possible water contamination in Philadelphia.

City residents are left with questions after a chemical spill potentially contaminated a portion of Philadelphia’s water supply over the weekend. Tap water is safe to drink in the city through at least 11:59 p.m. Monday, but officials are developing a water-distribution plan in case the quality of the city’s drinking water is impacted by the chemical spill in the Delaware River.

On Friday, a little more than 8,000 gallons of acrylic latex polymer was spilled into Otter Creek in Bristol Township, Bucks County, which then flowed into the Delaware River. The chemical processing plant responsible for the spill, Trinseo, cites equipment failure as the reason for the spill. While the chemical itself isn’t extremely dangerous after it’s been diluted in millions of gallons of river water, direct exposure to large amounts of acrylic latex can be toxic, according to public health experts.

After testing Philly’s water supply on Sunday and finding no contamination, various government agencies, including Philadelphia Water Department (PWD), PA Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), and the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), cleared Philadelphia to use city tap water at least until Monday at midnight — when the potentially contaminated water should’ve had enough time to work its way through the treatment process.

However, that didn’t stop residents from buying out many local stores’ supply of water bottles after the city earlier advised people in affected service areas on Sunday to switch to bottled water “out of an abundance of caution.”

While Philly water is currently safe to drink, city residents have been asking a lot of questions. The Inquirer found some answers. (For the latest updates, follow The Inquirer’s live blog.)

Yes, it is currently safe to use Philly water until at least 11:59 p.m. on Monday night, according to PWD.

The water treatment facility affected by the chemical spill, Baxter Water Treatment Plant, is the only facility out of the three serving Philly that is potentially contaminated. Since the spill, the water department has continuously tested the water at that facility and has yet to find contamination in the water. At midnight tonight, the potentially contaminated river water that entered the Baxter Water Treatment Plant will have had enough time to pass through the plant’s intake and treatment system, giving the city a better idea if the water is contaminated or not.

At 5 p.m. today, the city will hold a press conference to share any further updates prior to the midnight update time. As it stands now, residents can safely cook, clean, bathe and drink using Philly tap water.

Additionally, a large chunk of the city is unaffected by the potential water contamination. Areas of the city, mostly west of the Schuylkill River, get its water from either two other water treatment facilities that weren’t exposed to the chemical spill. You can see a map of affected areas at phillyh2o.info/spill-map.

To get alerts about drinking water quality, sign up for ReadyPhiladelphia by texting READYPHILA to 888-777.

Yes, you can do your laundry as there are currently no contaminants in the water supply, according to PWD. However, check back with the Inquirer or sign up for water alerts to stay up to date.

Yes. Until you hear otherwise from PWD, Philly’s water is currently safe to use to bathe, clean and brush your teeth.

In general, contaminated and polluted water can lead to health risks, according to the World Health Organization. In the short term, contaminated water can make you sick with illnesses like diarrhea, which is the most widely known sickness associated with contaminated water. In the long term, using contaminated water can increase your risk of infection and disease, harming organs like kidneys and intestines and in some cases consuming carcinogens.

In the context of the recent chemical spill in Bucks County, the chemical spilled into the Delaware River is called acrylic latex polymer. This chemical is used for acrylic paints or as a “finishing material” to coat an object after its painted to make it more presentable and ensure the paint lasts longer.

In an interview with The Inquirer, Charles Haas, an environmental engineering professor at Drexel University, said that the chemical would be significantly diluted within the millions of gallons of water in the Delaware River — making his level of concern “fairly low,” even if the water is found to be contaminated. Haas also pointed to Philly’s Baxter Water Treatment Plant’s ability to shut off the intake of water from the Delaware River while being able to utilize the facility’s own reservoir to pull water from in the meantime.

Additionally, Drexel University’s Arthur Frank, an environmental public health physician and professor, said there are no long-lasting effects of this chemical in Philly’s water supply.

“Even if the city detected a small amount that’s been diluted, there won’t be any expected toxic effects to anybody who might drink this,” said Frank. “I got asked earlier if I would drink Philly tap water today, and the answer I gave was, ‘Yes.’”

While Frank believes this spill won’t result in any immediate issues to the water supply, emergencies like this one and the recent train derailment in Ohio are causes for a serious look into the funding of public health and water infrastructure, “This is just another example of how ill-prepared we are for what will be these inevitable public health emergencies,” said Frank.

No. Unfortunately, boiling water only kills off bacteria, not chemicals, according to Frank. When the water supply is contaminated (which it’s currently not), you should switch to bottled water.

In small amounts. While there isn’t a lot of research available on the topic, it’s generally not advisable to give your pet carbonated water in large amounts, according to Gary Richter, a veterinarian and expert who serves on a panel for the dog-walking app Rover. Carbonated beverages like seltzer and sparkling water can lead to gas buildup in your pet, which can result in physical discomfort and health concerns if a large amount is consumed.

It’s not recommended you feed your pet bubbly water, but if you’re in a tight squeeze, a small amount is OK.

If grocery stores near you are out of bottled water, check smaller convenience stores and gas stations in your neighborhood. You can also travel outside of the city where bottled water will be in greater supply.

Alternatively, you can search for at-home water delivery services. These companies, like Sinai Pure Spring Water in Nicetown, deliver bottled water and jugs of water to your home.