What Should You Do When Your Building Is Contaminated With Black Water?

11/29/2017 (Permalink)

What Should You Do When Your Building Is Contaminated With Black Water?

Not all water damage is created equal, and what remediation steps you take all depends on the original source of the water that flooded your Edmond, OK building. Clean water is precisely what it sounds like: water that does not pose any immediate health threats and that comes from broken water lines, toilet holding tanks, rainfall and snowmelt. If not treated in time, clean water can become gray water, which is water that does contain some contaminants. Gray water can include discharge from showers, sinks, aquariums, water beds and dishwashers. Then there is black water, or floodwater.

What Is Floodwater?

The water that enters a building during a flood usually contains dozens of harmful contaminants, which is why it is so important to work with a professional water remediation team after an incident. Floodwater usually contains soil, which can contain feces, pesticides and other contaminants, natural or not. It can also contain sewage runoff, which may be contaminated by bacteria, molds, fungi, protozoans and viruses. 

Contamination can occur anytime, both during the flooding incident and afterwards. For this reason, it is imperative to your health and the health of all your employees and customers that you work with a professional water remediation team after a flood.

Why Work With a Professional Water Remediation Team?

Water damage is one of many major concerns after your building floods. Though a water remediation company will do everything possible to restore your building to its pre-flood condition, its main goal will likely be to free your building of any remaining contaminants. Don’t attempt to clean up post-flood on your own; instead, turn to a professional restoration team for help. Visit http://www.SERVPROedmond.com for more information on water damage.