What Are the Three Different Kinds of Contaminated Water?

11/8/2022 (Permalink)

A spill from the dishwasher could be considered Category 2

What Are the Three Types of Contaminated Water?

An emergency water damage event can be devastating to the home or business and sometimes it’s not possible to avoid it. If you have a flood, it’s important to know who to call and when.

It’s important to know the difference between the three types of water contamination. If you don’t, you could end up with a bigger problem than you expected.

There are three types of water contamination: biological, chemical, and radioactive contamination.

Each type requires different steps for treatment and cleanup so it is important to know how to recognize each one if you find yourself working in an area where contaminated water may be present.

Biological Contamination is caused when there are living organisms in a body of water or liquid (like milk or juice). These can include bacteria, viruses, parasites like worms and amoebas which make people sick if they get into their bodies through food or drink that contains them; therefore this type can occur anywhere that humans live near water sources such as lakes and rivers but it's most common at large-scale events where thousands upon thousands of people attend without proper sanitation facilities nearby like bathrooms/toilets etcetera - because then they have no choice but use whatever source they have available nearby instead - which often leads

Category 1 - Clean Water

Unsanitary water sources known as Category 1 (clean water) would be from a clean supply line, such as your sink or bathtub. This is called category 1 water. It is safe to use for cleaning and washing, but it is not recommended for drinking due to the lack of purification treatment.

Category 2 - Gray Water

Category 2 (contaminated) is gray water. Gray water can be discharged due to a dishwasher, washing machine flood, or even an overflowing toilet that only contains urine.

Gray water is not safe to use for drinking or cooking because it may contain some dangerous chemicals or components:

• Fecal coliform bacteria and other organisms from human waste
• Chemical pollutants used in laundry detergents, household cleaners, and personal care products such as shampoo and soap

Category 3 - Black Water

Black water requires special attention because it often contains harmful bacteria and pathogens. It's called black water because it is not clean, and it should never be ingested. If you've found yourself in a situation where your home or business is flooded with this kind of water, you need to call the professionals at SERVPRO of Ebensburg immediately and avoid the area. 

If you find your Ebensburg, PA home or business flooded with any kind of water — you need professionals on the job to take care of the mess and restore your home or business to its original, preloss condition. SERVPRO of Ebensburg is here to help make that process as easy and painless as possible. Give us a call!