sewer line

Most property owners, when worrying about damage to a home or business, first consider fires and then floods. However, while it is usually a part of flood damage, there is a specific type of water damage, sewer damage, that brings a whole new set of risks on its own.

The Black Water Factor

Of all the concerns that a flood brings, “black water” is considered the most hazardous to health. Floods can ruin carpeting and furniture, and the amount of bacteria in the water can impact the health of people interacting with that water. “White water” is the water we get from taps; safe, drinkable, and can be used for just about anything. “Grey water” is water from the tap already used and has some low-grade contaminants. Bath water, dishwasher water, and laundry water are all examples of this. 

Then there is “black water,” which does not come from potable sources or is so heavily contaminated that it presents a serious health risk. Toilet water that flows into the sewer system is an example of black water, but it also comes from other sources, such as industrial areas with waste acids and chemicals or wild, untreated water from ponds and rivers.

Not Just Catastrophes

When a serious flood occurs from heavy rains or other torrential storm events, black water is a natural consequence as water from lakes, rivers, or swamps spills into inhabited areas. In these cases, the water level is so high that unless all doors and windows are watertight, the water will seep through these openings in a building. Because this is untreated water, and water from the sewers is part of the mix, black water is inevitable.

However, black water doesn’t only arrive in homes due to catastrophic flood events. Sewage can enter a home without a major disaster that affects the entire landscape.

Sewage, or wastewater, can also enter a home through the following circumstances…

Overwhelmed Sewer Lines

While the most disastrous storms can cause flooding, even heavy rain that doesn’t flood the streets can overwhelm some central sewage management systems. So even if property owners looking out their windows don’t see water in the streets, if the sewage lines are beyond capacity, this can cause a reverse flow, where sewage water travels up drain pipes and enters homes and businesses through drains, toilets, and other openings.

Blocked Sewage Drains

In some cases, sewage water is not entering a property from the outside; it can no longer leave the property. A blocked sewer line can mean that everything on the property, from laundry machine water to what’s been flushed down the toilet, is now returning to the property.

This blockage can arise from a number of factors, such as something improperly being flushed down the toilet and creating a barrier in the drainage pipe. Or tree roots break through the line and form a natural barrier to entangle other objects and slowly build up the blockage.

Sewage backed up into a property can be extremely hazardous as it is filled with contaminants. People can get sick from accidentally swallowing or even touching the water. It’s always best to have sewage removal professionals safely and securely deal with sewage damage.