Black Water Dangers: What You Need to Know and What to Do About It

What is Black Water?

Black water is water that has been contaminated with sewage, harmful chemicals, or other hazardous materials. It may be the wastewater from toilets or floodwaters from natural disasters. Black water may also be found in stagnant pools of water, such as those that accumulate after heavy rain.

Why Is Black Water Dangerous?

Black water may contain harmful bacteria and viruses that can cause serious illness or even death. In addition, the chemicals and other contaminants in black water can damage your home and possessions.

If you come into contact with black water, you can become very ill. Symptoms of illness from contaminated water include vomiting, diarrhea, stomach cramps, fever, and headaches. In severe cases, you may develop pneumonia or meningitis.

What Can I Do to Protect Myself?

There are several things you can do to protect yourself from the dangers of black water:

• Avoid contact with black water as much as possible. If you must come into contact with dirty water, wear protective clothing, like gloves and a face mask. Test the water quality first before ingesting or coming in contact if you’re uncertain whether the water is safe. 
• Cover open cuts or wounds to prevent contamination.
• Wash your hands and body thoroughly with soap and water if you’ve come in contact with black water. 
• DO NOT drink or cook with black water. Avoid drinking or swimming in water that could be contaminated. This includes lakes, rivers, and floodwaters. If you are camping or hiking in an area where there is no clean water available, be sure to bring along plenty of bottled water.
• Keep children and pets away from black water.
• Have your home professionally cleaned and sanitized if it has been flooded. 
• Disinfect any surfaces that may have come into contact with dirty water. This includes countertops, doorknobs, and other areas that are frequently touched. 

Black water can be dangerous, but by following these simple steps, you can protect yourself and your family from its harmful effects.

Black water flooding cleanup steps

Remediating black water contamination in a building requires careful planning and the use of specialized equipment. A licensed restoration professional will know how to assess the damages, then sanitize and dry the affected areas. The steps to follow in the event of black water damage include:

1. The safety of all building occupants and workers is ensured. Employees must wear protective equipment, such as boots, gloves, waterproof coveralls, eye protection, and respirators.
2. The cleaning technician performs a thorough inspection of all affected areas to determine the severity of the disaster. The restoration process is based on this assessment.
3. Excess water must be rapidly removed to prevent further damage. Sewage and other waste, as well as contaminated porous items, are all removed. Special tools (air scrubbers or negative air machines) are often used to prevent unaffected areas from becoming infected. Affected surfaces are cleaned and sanitized with industry-approved disinfectants.
4. Once the sanitization is complete, the technicians establish a balanced drying system to restore the damaged areas to their pre-disaster condition. This final step involves using specialized procedures, products, and equipment, such as high capacity air movers and professional dehumidifiers.