If you’re like most people dealing with a sewer backup in Ann Arbor or elsewhere in Washtenaw County, you know that there are certain health hazards associated with the water you’re seeing – but what are they, and what could happen without professional help?
Health Hazards Caused by Sewage Backup
Water that’s contaminated with sewage – what we call black water – typically contains a lot of bacteria and viruses that can be extremely harmful to your health. People have even been known to contract Hepatitis A through contaminated water, which is a viral liver disease that can cause severe illness.
You can also get sick by attempting to clean up sewer water without the proper protective equipment, or by using items that have been in contact with the sewage if they’re not properly disinfected before you handle them.
Touching contaminated items with bare hands can also cause skin irritation, infection and illness – especially if you have cuts on your hands or you then touch your eyes, nose or mouth without sanitizing your hands.
All kinds of life-threatening pathogens can be present in sewer water, including:
- Campylobacter
- Cryptosporidium parvum
- E. coli
- Giardia intestinalis
- Hepatitis A
- Leptospira
- Polio
- Salmonella (including the kind that causes typhoid)
- Shigella
- Yersinia enterocolitica
The lesson? Don’t try to clean up a sewage mess without professional help. You need to protect yourself and your family, and the best way to do it is to hire an experienced sewer water cleanup crew who can keep you safe.
Do You Need Help With Sewer Cleanup?
ExactRecon can help you get your home or business back to its original condition after a sewer backup or contamination with clean, gray or black water.
We provide several damage restoration services, including fire, smoke and soot restoration services, as well as water damage restoration services in Ann Arbor and all the surrounding communities that can help you and your family get back on track.
Call us at 517-262-3770 or get in touch with us online today.
