Water & Sewage

When dealing with sewage, special precautions and processes must be followed. Before tackling an Emergency Sewage Removal project, here are some critical guidelines.

Safety is the first concern when handling sewage remediation. Sewage, also known as “black water,” must be handled differently than a “normal” water damage dry-out. Household sewage is grossly contaminated water and it often contains many diseases, viruses, pathogens and parasites that can infect anyone coming in contact with it. Included in the list of the most common diseases that can be transmitted by contact with black water are e-coli, hepatitis, HIV and rotavirus.

Anyone involved in removing sewage from a home or business must wear protective clothing. Professionals wear Tyvek suits, puncture resistant gloves, masks and sealed boots and gloves. This is to prevent potentially disease ridden water from coming into contact with the skin, eyes, nose or mouth.

Another significant difference between a normal water removal project and emergency sewage removal is this: all porous building materials must be removed from the structure. This includes contaminated drywall, baseboards, carpets, padding and cabinets. When just exposed to water damage, these building materials can usually be saved by a professional remediation company. However, when sewage is involved, safety guidelines and industry requirements demand that contaminated porous surfaces must be removed from the property. After contaminated, porous materials are removed, the area is then cleaned with a high pressure system and a sanitizing agent.

One other concern with sewage damage includes airborne hazards. Black water can end up in the air within a contaminated property and expose people to all the diseases noted above. Best practices call for the use of HEPA air scrubbers to be placed in areas affected by sewage spills to reduce the likelihood of airborne hazards.

The guidelines discussed here are the best practices required by the IICRC (Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification) and the AFTM.