3 Categories of Water Contamination

11/12/2021 (Permalink)

If you have contaminated water in your home, you can call SERVPRO, we are a trained team always ready to help you.

There Are Three Types Of Water Contamination.

All floods are not equal. Floodwater in your home in Punta Gorda, FL, may be clean and require nothing more than extraction and thorough drying. Other flooding may involve contaminated water that, in addition to drying, requires disinfection, preferably performed by water mitigation specialists. To determine what your remediation process should involve, you need to know which category the floodwater in your home falls under.

Contamination Factors

The water contamination level is typically determined by certain factors:

• Source of floodwater
• Materials water touches
• Time and temperature of area

Any of these factors can affect how contaminated the water flooding your home may be. Even water that is clean can become black water if certain things happen.

Category 1

Category 1 water is clean water. If a supply line breaks, the leak is most likely releasing clean water. As long as it only floods a clean floor and is taken care of in a swift manner, it will likely remain clean.

Category 2

Leaks from appliances contain contaminated water that falls within Category 2. It may be infested with contaminants, particularly if it permeates walls or flooring or has been sitting for a while in a warm area. You should avoid direct contact or ingestion of Category 2 water.

Category 3

Water in this category likely contains microbes and bacteria. Any water that comes from storm flooding, sewer water, toilet overflows or groundwater falls within Category 3. This type of flood requires professional remediation from certified experts, because you want to make sure that the area not only is dried but sanitized. You should completely avoid contact with this water.

If you have contaminated water in your home, it is best to call professionals who are trained to handle that type of remediation. Regardless of how harmless the problem may seem at first, it is better to know that the flooded area is entirely clean rather than having to guess.