What You Need To Know About Contaminated Water

1/10/2018 (Permalink)

After a flood, there’s a lot to do, and there’s a lot to know. Before you can even touch on the cleanup process, it’s important to understand the classifications of flood water. The process that you or your restoration specialist will have to undergo may vary between the three classifications.

Category 1

Category 1 water is considered clean water, which is not a threat to you or your family. It does not carry any harmful bacteria or pathogens. For instance, this water can include:

• Broken water lines
• Toilet holding tanks
• Melted snow
• Rain water

Because category 1 is not contaminated water, it can be cleaned easily. Also, if clean water dries out quickly, it should leave little to no damage.

Category 2

Category 2 is called gray water, which may have some chemical contamination. For instance, dishwashers and washing machines may leak soapy water and biological matter. Most gray water comes from these appliances, but also sinks and aquariums.

Category 3

The final category is black water, or severely contaminated water. Gray water can become black after 48 hours. Unlike clean water that may come from the supply line, category 3 water carries bacteria and pathogens. Often sewage or outside water falls within this category. While you should always act in haste after a flood, you have to be particularly fast and careful with this type of polluted water.

Flood cleanup can be a difficult time for anyone. However, in order to make the most out of your cleanup and to stay safe while working, you should keep in mind the classifications of flood waters. Category 1 is relatively harmless, while category 3 contaminated water not only can be dangerous to your health, but can cause serious damage to your Stillwater, OK home. However, after any flood, it’s imperative to work on cleanup efforts as soon as possible. Visit http://www.SERVPROstillwaterguthrie.com for more information on water damage.