Health Hazards Posed by Untreated Sewage

Many Calgarians remember the 2013 flood which damaged homes and businesses costing millions of dollars and displacing over 100,000 people in southern Alberta. Though the water itself is to blame for most of the damage there were other health hazards that also came into play including sewage contamination. River water is classified as Category 3 Black Water - considered highly contaminated and requiring specialized cleanup. There are a variety of risks associated with being exposed to sewage, though these risks depend on what sort of microbes are present. The microbes in raw sewage enter the body through the nose, mouth, open wounds or by inhaling contaminated air. As we discussed in one of our previous posts, Black Water can cause serious indoor air quality issues, a problem many Calgarians faced as they returned to their flooded homes and businesses.

Though the Alberta government has begun to implement flood mitigation measures to help avoid large scale flooding disasters like the one Alberta experienced in 2013 home and business owners should know what to do should their property experience a flood and how to deal with sewage contamination.

The first thing you should do is have everyone vacate the area. Untreated sewage can contain a variety of illness causing pathogens including bacteria, parasites and viruses. Though most illnesses caused by sewage are non-fatal and pass after a few days or weeks a few pathogens can cause serious long term illness or even death. The elderly, small children and individuals with weakened immune systems are particularly vulnerable to the long term effects of sewage exposure.

If you know or suspect that your home or business has been contaminated by sewage contact 24/7 Restoration today. Our expert team has the knowledge and equipment to safely and effectively decontaminate your property, haul away contaminated materials and advise you on what sort of work will need to be done to restore your home or business. For more information call 403.247.4365 and visit 247restoration.ca today.