Three Main Classifications of Water

8/3/2020 (Permalink)

There are three main classifications of floodwater: clear water, gray water, and black water. Judging by the names you may assume these classifications are based wholly on the color of the floodwater, but you would be wrong. There are a few ways to determine the type of water it is.

Clean Water

Clean water originates from water mains, pipes, and other sources of relatively unhampered water in your home. Water damage with clean water is lighter and easier to restore than the other types of water, due to reduced volume of water and lighter safety procedures during the task. This water is identifiable as being clear and unclouded. It is important to remove this water quickly, as it can turn into gray water if it sits too long.

Gray Water

Gray water is water that may or may not have contaminants n it that can cause a potential health risk. There is more care required when cleaning up after this type of water.

Black Water

The most dangerous and damaging type of water is black water, which can originate from a storm flood, a septic tank overflow, or when gray water is left untreated. This water contains dangerous containments, including fungi and microbes that may cause damage to your health. Black water can also stain surfaces easily. This type of water causes the most damage.

If you have experienced water damage to your home, call the water damage restoration experts, SERVPRO of Piscataway at 732-752-4445.