Category 3 Water

2/8/2018 (Permalink)

If you are a home owner or a property owner, you probably heard that there are different categories of water. Category one water is referred to as liquid that comes from a clean source such as pipes, toilet tanks, or faucets for example. This category of water is usually safe to handle and clean. Category two, also known as grey water, is categorized as liquid that has been contaminated such as dishwater that has been backed up or dishwasher overflow. This category of water may cause illness or discomfort. Category three water, also known as black water, is water that has been contaminated by feces or dangerous bacteria or viruses. The sources of these can be from backed up sewage, flooding from rivers or streams, toilet overflow with feces, or contact with water that support bacterial growth. 

Another example of how water can become Category three very quickly is if a pipe burst with clean water but then comes in contact with dog feces, which floods the entire room. This immediately puts the water into a category three, which is biohazardous because of the possible harmful bacteria growth.

Sewage backup is one the most common Category three water causes. Sewage backup are usually caused by clogs, which creates a sewage backup through the pipes. Sewage is a mixture of both water and human waste. This can be very dangerous because the waste can contain diseases and gases that are harmful to human health.