When water or sewage damage happens without warning, One Call Services arrives within sixty minutes at homes and businesses throughout Alameda County and the surrounding area as soon as possible. The team handles all of the local community’s water removal, water extraction, and restoration needs. One Call Services has over a decade of experience in water damage restoration and mold remediation. Customers receive a free visual inspection and estimate. The dedicated property damage specialists are committed to ensuring the satisfaction and safety of every customer when it comes to taking care of water damage, including a sewage spill that has the potential to cause serious health issues.
Water damage can come from many sources, including:
- roof leaks from storms or overflowing gutters
- foundation leaks resulting in flooded basements
- HVAC leaks from clogged condensate drain pipes
- burst supply lines from an appliance such as a washing machine, dishwasher, or icemaker
- bathtub leaks or overfills
- flooding from storms
- sewage overflow from a clogged toilet or sewer line
- sewage spills from a broken sewage drainpipe in the crawl space
In general, the water damage restoration process is similar no matter what the cause of the disaster. However, each individual water damage incident has its own set of unique problems. Sewage spills present a special set of high-risk health challenges that are unlike other water damage disasters. Many diseases can be spread from raw sewage, and these diseases pose a danger to the occupants of the home or business that has suffered the disaster. The restoration team is also at risk when cleaning and restoring a home or business that has suffered a water damage disaster involving raw sewage. The dangers associated with cleaning up a sewage spill make it risky for the homeowner to attempt a sewage spill cleanup. The lack of proper equipment, protective gear, cleaning techniques, and effective disinfectants can compound the sewage spill disaster.
Three categories of contaminated water
The three types of contaminated water include:
- Category One: clean water
- Category Two: gray water
- Category Three: black water
Clean water comes from a clean water source such as a faucet, burst washing machine supply line, or a burst supply line to an icemaker. Gray water, which contains significant amounts of contaminants, may come from a source such as a washing machine overflow, a toilet overflow with some urine but no feces, or a dishwasher overflow. The gray color of the water may come from soaps or detergents in the water.
Blackwater, the most dangerous category of water, is contaminated with raw sewage, including feces. A spill of this type in a home or business could cause severe illness or death if ingested. Exposure to black water through the eyes, nose, or a cut can also lead to infection, illness, and death. Direct contact with black water should be avoided. Protective equipment, including eyewear, a mask, long sleeves, and waterproof gloves and boots should be worn at all times when dealing with black water. Tracking black water throughout a home or business can transform a small-scale water damage incident into a major property damage disaster.
Diseases caused by exposure to water contaminated by sewage
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, a water damage disaster involving sewage creates a hazardous situation. Bacteria such as salmonellosis, shigellosis, diarrhea, trachoma, and melioidosis thrive in raw sewage. Viral infections resulting from ingestion or exposure to sewage include gastroenteritis and hepatitis A. Parasites in the contaminated water can cause diseases, including giardiasis, tapeworm infection, and hookworm infection, to name only a few. Exposing an open wound, cut, or body sore to sewage-contaminated water can lead to localized infection or blood poisoning.
How to respond to a sewage spill
Sewage backup or any type of blackwater damage disaster should be regarded as an emergency requiring immediate attention. The conscientious homeowner should only enlist the services of experienced water damage restoration specialists who possess the training and the appropriate equipment to safely and quickly deal with a sewage spill involving black water.
One Call Services aims to provide customers with the highest quality restoration services, including water damage restoration, mold mitigation, sewage damage cleanup, and more. The job is complete only when the customer has a healthy indoor environment and the damaged area has been restored and repaired. A fast response time and excellent customer service are core principles at One Call Services.
For more information about sewage cleanup in Fremont, CA, contact the One Call Services team by phone at (510) 394-1606.
