What To Do If You Find Contaminated Water in Your Home

6/11/2019 (Permalink)

It is important to know what type of contaminated water is in your home

If your home in Gray, TN, experiences flooding, the remaining water is considered contaminated and needs to be dealt with immediately. Depending on the source of the contaminated water and how long the water has been left standing, dangerous bacteria and viruses may be present that can harm anyone who comes into contact with them. This guide will help you learn how to identify and respond to water found in your home.

Three Types of Contaminated Water

While all flood waters in your home are considered contaminated, there are three categories based on the potential damage and contamination level of the standing water:

• Category 1 - Clean Water: This is water that comes from a known clean water source. Examples of clean water sources include a broken water supply line or a leaking sink.

• Category 2 – Gray Water: Category 2 water contains contaminants that can cause possible sickness. If the water damage occurred to your home due to sump pump failure, flooding from the dishwasher, or toilet bowl overflow with no feces, it is considered gray water.

• Category 3 – Black Water: This type of water is extremely unsanitary and can cause extreme illness if consumed. Examples of black water include sewage or toilet overflow with feces and flood waters from rivers and streams outside.

How To Respond To Flood Water

If dealing with black water, make sure to leave your home immediately and treat the situation as an emergency. Left to sit, even Category 1 or Category 2 water can evolve into Category 3 water as it interacts with contaminants. For this reason, it is essential to contact a water damage cleanup company to quickly rid of the water and restore your home.

Knowing what type of contaminated water is in your home after a situation like a flood or a pipe bursting occurs is important for keeping you and your family safe from harm. No matter the source of the water, you should always contact a cleanup company to help prevent further damage from occurring.