Sewage Contamination FAQs-2

Carpet or rug sewage contamination
Furniture / furnishings contamianted by sewage
Health effects of exposure to sewage contamination
Outdoor soil contamination by sewage

Health Effects of Exposure to Sewage Contamination FAQs

We got sick and nearly died in a sewage contaminated home

We bought a house had it inspected just to almost die in it.

After a year in this house we all had gotten very sick, me very deathly sick .so someone mentioned mold but we never seen any mold but was having alot of unexplained health problems. So we talked to a neighbor who was sorry to hear how sicken I became and I ask if anyone was ever sick when the previous owners had it.

i was then told he wasn't sure if they were sick but recalls a chilling SEWER line rupture and the house took all the unpacked because it sat lower then the other houses surrounding it.and the yard and hillside behind the house flooded to..we were never aware of this problem sellers didn't disclose. We then had the house tested for mold and high levels of toxic molds..

we left the home with me on my death bed and no diagnosis, but plenty of UTI infections and diverticulitis and also c diff.a long line of ongoing stomach pains ,

we been out and house is up for sheriff sale through quicken loans who are foreclosing the property and all our belongings because we can't take anything from there.do to cross contamination,

but my husband and father in law went down a few weeks ago and I think since the house has been sitting and still sewer contaminated got worse ,because now we all have bacteria infections, bacteria meningitis, respiratory infection and ring worm and my husband has a fungus infection,

I can't tell you how lost we are ,sewer contaminate and toxic molds and lost our new home our belongings ,money ,jobs,cars health and still sick I think somehow we are now renting a house that has become cross contamination. And we don't know what to do On 2017-04-25 by Dawn McGregor

Answer by (mod) -

Dawn

My sympathies for the terrible experience you had in your "new" but not so nice-sounding home.

Indeed a sewage backup, if not properly cleaned-up, can leave various pathogens such as bacterial and viral hazards in a building as well as its water leading to both visible and hidden mold contamination.

It's not, however entirely the case that your contents in the home are entirely beyond salvage. Many items, particularly hard-surfaced items (wood furniture, china, glassware, most plastic items can be professionally disinfected and cleaned reliably. Clothing and bedding can generally be laundered, disinfected, or drycleaned.

What is usually beyond economic salvage are thick soft goods such as wall-to-wall carpeting, mattresses, pillows, and some other items of any material may be so inexpensive to replace as to cost less to replace than to clean.

However in my OPINION your first actions need to be guided by your doctor - appropriate medical diagnosis and treatment.

A second priority is to get professional help in deciding what contents of the home are economically salvageable. Wholesale abandonment of everything in a home that was contaminated by sewage or mold seems to me a bit rash.

Your attorney can let you know if you should have any financial relief-recourse.

Generally buying real estate is a famously "caveat-emptor" transaction, and the buyer is expected to do their own due diligence, and sellers and realtors are rather excused from most disclosures for various reasons, some of them quite sensible: a realtor won't know the whole history of a home and depends on information provided by a seller.

Unfortunately these protections can also become a license to fail to disclose facts that were actually known; still, some states have a home disclosure law that requires certain known-information to be revealed to a buyer.

Keep me posted.

Shower and toilet both draining into the crawlspace. in our Arkansas rental house has made us both sick

I've been renting a house in Arkansas, the land of non-existent tenant rights, since June of 2019.

My fiancé and I started noticing seemingly random symptoms ranging from headaches, congestion, overwhelming fatigue, flaking skin, heart palpitations, constipation, if I don't stop here the list would go on for another paragraph.

After researching my symptoms I came to the conclusion that it was fungal in origin, but I couldn't figure out why.

Luckily, when researching some of the house issues that have popped up since moving in, like the wall behind the fridge I discovered this site and it all finally clicked. We bought a mold test (picture below) and were shocked by the results.

The 2nd test sat on our living room table for the instructed hour and sealed immediately.

The image should speak for itself. September of 2019 is when I alerted the landlord as to the possibility of a mold problem and only after sending the images of the tests did they show up to "fix" anything. In November. Landlord shows up and notices standing water in the crawlspace, claims to fix it, then disappears.

When they asked for rent, we asked what was to be done about the existing mold, to which they replied "Take this months rent and find somewhere else to live ASAP, Since it is causing physical symptoms.

To get rid of the mold 100%, we will have to gut the house and no one needs to be living there.

We will take your deposit and prorate this months rent for however long it takes you to move." We had the same reaction you're having right now, but we paid our rent, late fees and all only to find the crawlspace full of water 2 weeks later.

The reason?

Shower and toilet both draining into the crawlspace.

We're at our wits end and I'm out of work so finding another place isn't really an option.

Any suggestions? On 2020-01-01 by Chris

by (mod) - don't need to test for mold when you see moldy areas

Chris

You don't need to test for mold when you see moldy areas in the home;

The mold needs to be removed and its cause fixed as well.

See ACTION GUIDE - WHAT TO DO ABOUT INDOOR MOLD

and see

RENTERS & TENANTS: MOLD ADVICE

Sewage cleanup was claimed but not done in the crawlspace - now my sister is sick

My sister's home had a sewage pipe repaired in her crawl space 4 years ago. The plumbing company explained that they would clean up and take about 1" of dirt out.

There has been drought in the area until this year. This year there have been heavy rains.

My sister started having the feeling of crawling on her and strange immune responses. We have been looking for mold in the house.

An inspector went in the crawl space and found that human sewage waste was never cleaned up and it was re-moistened during the heavy rains this year. Can old sewage that is remoistened cause a health hazard? Is it generally the plumbing company that cleans up the waste left from a sewage leak as part of the repair? On 2017-06-10 by Laurie

Answer by (mod) -

Laurie,

The home may indeed be unsanitary and thus unsafe to occupy until it is properly cleaned and disinfected.

I can't say exactly what were the plumbing company's responsibilities, but my OPINION (I'm not a lawyer) is that if your sister hired someone to clean up a sewage spill the contractor is responsible for doing the job properly.

Beware that it's possible that the original cleanup was done correctly - there could have been a second sewage spill if the cause of the backup wasn't properly diagnosed and corrected.

However it sounds inadequate as you don't mention use of a sanitizer nor putting down of a plastic barrier over the dirt in the crawl area nor any tests to be sure the living area is sanitary.

Could this raw sewage and home made improper septic tank be the cause of health problems?

My brother in law never installed a septic tank. So for 2+years he has had his raw sewage dumping into ground.

BTW it's him, his wife, and 3 daughter's. The county inspector FINALLY found out, came out, ticketed him and he was supposed to install septic and pipes. Yet he hasn't and that was suppose to be done 10/29/19 it is now 12/26/19.

He lived down hill from us, about half a football field away.

I was always sick, nausea, headaches, n his min recently went to er bc of breathing problems, and needing blood

Could his sewage be the reason? What can I do we no longer live there bc of this, but he has 3 young daughter's.

He dug a deep hole for the tank..only to let it fill w rain water n it mixes in with raw sewage bc the pipe trim bathroom runs into hole. What can I do I'm concerned for his kids...someone has to bc his lazy *** ain't. On 2019-12-26 by Dizzie Blonde

by (mod) - 50 yards or 150 feet distance from open sewage on the ground is in my OPINION a possible health hazard to anybody nearby,

Diz

50 yards or 150 feet distance from open sewage on the ground is in my OPINION a possible health hazard to anybody nearby, more-so if the sewage effluent can enter your well or drinking water source.

You need help from your local building department or health department.

Can sewage contaminants become airborne?

We had 6 inches of sewage and water in the basement. The basement was cleaned and the sewer pipe was repaired.

Would any of the contaminates become airborne?

If it was all localized to the basement will there be any respiratory issues on the first floor aside from the stench which is now gone? (Aug 24, 2014) Janice

Reply: Yes

Janice

If proper containment was not used during the basement cleanup andif mechanicals were not protected, such as heating or air conditioning ducts, registers, equipment, indeed it's possible for airborne water droplets or dust carrying sewage pathogens to contaminate those areas or surfaces.

If contaminants moved by air or by people tracking sewage into other building areas, sure there could be related respiratory or other health complaints.

And if the water from the sewage backup was not removed in 24-48 hours - such that all previously-wet basement components were thoroughly dried, there could be a hidden mold reservoir now bothering building occupants.

Health department & landlord vs tenant report of sewage backup underneath a home, rising to the floorboards

My basements we have no entrenched to is full of sewage clear to the floors in the house we walk on.

The landlord claimed its not sewage though you can see and smell poop and towlet paper at the surface.,

I need help our health department will not help because though we are in the same county they say not in there jurisdiction any help contact me 740 565 4126 myself boyfriend and daughter are very sick 20 Sept 2015 tawnya bickford

Reply by (mod):

Tawnya,

Watch out:  I agree that what you are describing what sounds very unhealthy and unsafe.

If your health department says your home is not within their jusrisdiction, ask them in whose jurisdiction you live. It seems unlikely that wherever you live there would be no one admitting responsibility.

See HEALTH DEPARTMENT HELP for RENTERS

If you reach that unlikely dead-end then you may need to ask for help from a family protective service agency in your city or state and you may need to move to an emegency shelter.

Put it in writing:

If you need to get help with writing do so, but be sure that your concerns have been given in writing by letter to your landlord and to your health department.

Often people find it more difficult to ignore a legitimate health and safety worry when they know that it has been documented.

Ask for help from a local legal aid attorney.

Water from our bore hole well is sewage-contaminated; how can we use it?

I am constructing a house opposite (at about 30 feet distance ) a big drain basin filled with sewage collected from residential and industrial areas.

We dug a bore and lifting water from 20 ft depth. the water is foul smelling and dirty.

How can we use this water for domestic purposes like washing clothes, floors, utensils etc. (Jan 18, 2016) Suresh Kumar Bole

Reply by (mod): sewage contaminated water cannot be used without appropriate testing and disinfection / treatment

I wouldn't use the water you describe for ANY purpose without testing the water to identify its contaminants and then selecting an appropriate treatment system.

It is possible that your water well borehole is unacceptably close to the sewer drain line.

That means that even if a current leak in the drain is repaired, people will be at risk of illness from contaminated water that can occur again when future drain leaks happen.

From your description it sounds as if a catch basin, intended to manage surface water runoff, has become contaminated with sewage. If so, that is a health concer for everyone in the area, and it needs to be evaluated and addressed by your local health department.

I got a rash after moving into my home. Is it because of the septic tank?

Purchased home built in 1960 - 7 months ago with a septic tank. 5-10 days after moving in I was covered with horrific rash. Multiple diagnosis, physicians, and prescriptions....still no relief.

Raised & leveled pier & beam home to provide access....heavy rain 2 months ago....saw green colored substance in standing water all around, and under the house. Septic service emptied tank described as overflowing. Ground never dried, and water began pooling around front of the house. Line to septic busted, and leech line clogged up.

Plumbers ran all new larger pipes to septic, and leech line across the property. Ground under the house still moist....with furry pup that carries filth everywhere (unintentionally) but really concerning as my itching rash continues. I'm scrambling to figure out where to start, and would greatly appreciate any advice. (Feb 16, 2016) Lisa

Reply by (mod):

Lisa

Start by asking your doctor if there is a likely connection between your home environment and the health concerns you cite.

Also see MOLD / ENVIRONMENTAL EXPERT, HIRE ? for help in deciding if hiring an expert onsite hygienist or other technician is appropriate.

Sewage Contamination Risks in Carpets & Rugs FAQs

Tip: See CARPET MOLD / ODOR TESTS 

and SALVAGE BUILDING CONTENTS - after leaks, floods, or sewage backups

and SEWAGE CLEANUP PROCEDURES & STANDARDS

How can I clean sewage contaminated carpet?

i had a sewer line back up into my living quarters. Most of the affected area was lineolium over concrete.

Which I cleaned with bleach (1 cup bleach per gallon of water) But some got into the carpet (on concrete) Can I clean the carpet, and how?

Very short carpet, no pad, and on concrete/ On 2016-08-11 by Anonymous

by (mod) - sewage contaminated carpets and carpet padding must be removed and the exposed surfaces cleaned, sanitized

You could have the carpet sanitized using a carpet sanitizing/disinfecting solution or shampoo, but in my OPINION such treatments are never effective;

Proper procedure would be to replace no less than the section of carpeting that was sewage contaminated.

 

Apartment carpet was flooded by sewage, then shampooed. Is it safe? Should it be Tested?

The plumber that was servicing our water pipe said it was the Main Line where all water goes through toilet, washing ma, tub, etc. plus the tenants above us as well, my concern is the carpet.

The apt. did not want to replace the carpet after arguing with them about it. Instead they sent carpet cleaners which the carpet looks good on the outside but is there micro-filth on the inside? So should I have [the carpet] TESTED? - R.L. 2/4/2014

Reply by (mod): Watch out: leaving sewage contaminated carpet in place is risky

Frankly this sounds worrisome to me: if sewage water has soaked a carpet I'm doubtful that it can be safely cleaned; worse, leaving it in place invites visible or hidden mold contamination; and even when it's dry airborne pathogens can certainly rid dust particles into people's lungs &c.

One would also wonder how cleaning in place can reliably disinfect and clean through the entire thickness of carpeting and padding.

If you are going to live with such a questionable floor covering it might make sense to discuss testing it with an environtmental test lab; discuss the present state of the carpet and what tests would be most reliable. If the carpet had been still wet one might have used a bacterial swab but now, dry, I'm not sure what's the best approach;

What does your local health department say?

Example sewage cleanup guidelines that consider preserving such carpets (as one might do with a valuable area rug) call for removing and disinfecting and cleaning the carpeting and throwing the padding away, cleaning and disinfecting the floor, and using new padding.

Some such sewage spill guidelines are deficient if the floors were wet enough to send wastewater into building wall cavities or into ceiling cavities on lower floors. In such cases further demolition and cleaning are most likely required. See our

article SEWAGE BACKUP, WHAT TO DO IMMEDIATELY.

Also take a look at the recommended procedures for cleaning or replacing carpeting that has been soaked with sewage backup or overflow, found

at SEWAGE CLEANUP PROCEDURES & STANDARDS.

And because mold contamination is a risk when carpeting has been wet you will want to read

MOLD CONTROL, FLOOD RESPONSE. There you will note that for wall-to-wall carpeting, considering the problems of contamination, shrinkage, padding, and labor to remove, treat and reinstall over new padding, in our experience most insurance companies opt for immediate and complete removal and disposal of the carpeting.

 

Is it possible to determine sewage contamination in carpets and furniture two years after the event?

I had a toilet to overflow in my home two years ago causing major damage to my home and to my Furnishings. I want to know if it is possible to detect contamination on furniture and rugs after a two-year period of them being in storage? Thank you. On 2019-04-01 by Brenda

Reply by (mod) -

Sure, Brenda, a qualified enviromental expert can take swab samples and have them analyzed by an appropriate test lab; keep in mind that EVERYTHING depends on exactly how and where the samples are collected so be sure your expert is expert.

Frankly, it's simpler than that. If you had wall to wall carpeting that was soaked with sewage it is not salvageable and is normally thrown out.

Some area rugs can be sanitized and cleaned adequately.

Advice for leaks into carpeting, under vinuyl flooring, into a wall cavity: do we have to open the wall?

Please need advise on a leaking toilet pipe behind dry wall that has leaked through the wall under the vinuyl flooring and also onto the carpets in main passage

What is the correct proceedure for the Developer should be taking on cleaning up and sanitising the area ?

Must the walling that has soaked up the water be removed ?

What treatment should be carried out on the concreet floor ?
Many Thanks
SSewa On 2018-12-06 by Dewet Scott

by (mod) - sewage contaminated wall to wall carpeting

Watch out: Yes drywall and carpet and padding and similar materials that have been wet with water or sewage cannot be successfully nor safely cleaned - they are removed and the remaining surfaces are disinfected or sanitized.

Toilet overflowed, carpet edges got wet (not walls) - how bad was it?

I had flushed my 38 gallon black water tank then filled and drained it. I decided to fill / flush and drain it again. The toilet overflowed with dirty water, no solids. I immediately shut the water off and put rags on the floor. The walls were not penetrated and just the edge of the carpet.

Once the water was removed with rags I wipe all area with lysol three times. When we got home the carpets were cleaned (only the edged was wet) and re-cleansed the floors. Since I had rinsed the 38 gallon black water tank twice their was never a smell and the water was removed and floor cleaned quickly.

I have worked in water, wastewater and biosolid plants all my life.

What is your opinion? -

Moderator Reply: I recommend further investigation

OPINION: I think if water never got into the bottom of your walls that's very lucky. I suspect also that it's impossible to completely disinfect carpet that has been wet with black water or sewage.

That's why insurance companies normally replace it. However if only a very tiny amount of an inch or so of the edge of a carpet was wet I can understand the temptation to try leaving it in place.

Watch out: it woudl be very rare for water that wet the edges of carpet to not seep into a wall cavity, BUT if the wall is conventional wood stud framing, it's possible that only the lower portion and underside of the wall sill plate got wet.

Before betting your health that water never got into the walls (needing a mold remediation) I would go to the most-suspect (wettest) area and remove a 6" square of drywall at the wall bottom including behind any wall bottom trim; inspect the wall cavity and the cavity side of the drywall for mold.

The toilet overflowed with dirty water - Just the edge of the carpet got wet - have we done enough cleanup?

I had flushed my 38 gallon black water tank then filled and drained it. I decided to fill / flush and drain it again. The toilet overflowed with dirty water, no solids. I immediately shut the water off and put rags on the floor.

The walls were not penetrated and just the edge of the carpet. Once the water was removed with rags I wipe all area with lysol three times.

When we got home the carpets were cleaned (only the edged was wet) and re-cleansed the floors. Since I had rinsed the 38 gallon black water tank twice their was never a smell and the water was removed and floor cleaned quickly.

I have worked in water, wastewater and biosolid plants all my life.

What is your opinion? - Anonymous FJ by private email On 2018-10-24

Moderator Reply:

Watch out: OPINION: I think if water never got into the bottom of your walls that's very lucky. I suspect also that it's impossible to completely disinfect carpet that has been wet with black water or sewage.

That's why insurance companies normally replace it. However if only a very tiny amount of an inch or so of the edge of a carpet was wet I can understand the temptation to try leaving it in place.

 

Sewage Contaminated Furniture or Posessions: Salvageable?

Can I detect sewage contamination on furniture?

I had a toilet to overflow in my home two years ago causing major damage to my home and to my Furnishings.

I want to know if it is possible to detect contamination on furniture and rugs after a two-year period of them being in storage? Thank you. On 2019-04-01 by Brenda

by (mod) - Swab sample tests for adequacy of sewage cleanup

Sure, Brenda, a qualified enviromental expert can take swab samples and have them analyzed by an appropriate test lab; keep in mind that EVERYTHING depends on exactly how and where the samples are collected so be sure your expert is expert.

Frankly, it's simpler than that. If you had wall to wall carpeting that was soaked with sewage it is not salvageable and is normally thrown out.

Some area rugs can be sanitized and cleaned adequately.

Can we salvage sewage contaminated furniture, shoes and other stuff?

Here is a picture of the sewage flood in our home.

I am hoping that I can sanitize the "feet" of hardwood furniture, particularly of antique pieces that are unique and not easily replaceable, as well as the soles of shoes and boots that were in the sewage.

We had a sewage backup of 1-2 inches in our house that was professionally cleaned.

Can we clean and salvage hardwood furniture and shoes, with soles made of leather, rubber and other materials? If so, how? In a solution of bleach and water? Thanks! On 2019-01-20 by Renee

Answer by (mod) -

Renee

Cleaning hardwood furniture and shoe soles is quite possible; you need an adequate concentration of disinfectant and sufficient exposure time and penetration of any cracks and crevices such as between a caster or foot and the bottom of a chair or bench leg followed by cleaning and drying to avoid damage.

About your sewage contaminated riental carpet, It MIGHT be also possible to have your carpet professionally cleaned and disinfected. Otherwise it's history. (and trash).

Watch out: The more serious concern that you don't mention is the risk that sewage waters penetrated the lower portion of building walls and underneath built-in cabinets -areas that need to be explored and probably opened and cleaned and disinfected.

If you ignore those areas your risk a more-costly mold and bacterial contamination problem later.

Sewage Spills Outdoors FAQs

What are the sewage hazards from outdoor spills?

I live in a rented townhouse. After having a broken clean-out line repaired (due to root intrusion) a day later I noticed my next door neighbors clean out line (10-12 ft away and under a hedge) was, not only uncapped (?), but was spewing raw sewage.

I alerted my neighbor (a renter as well) and he did nothing about it. I alerted the HOA management company via email.

No response after three attempts.

10 days later, I luckily got a hold of the HOA contact who admittedly dropped the ball. Meanwhile the mess expanded and mushrooms were growing.

God knows how long this had been going on. They sent a plumber to fix it. My concern is how long will that soil (thick adobe clay) be contaminated.

Does mother nature clean it up?

Keep in mind, two days after the incident, I found myself feeling unusually nauseated.

Trust me, this wasn't psychosomatic. Caught totally off guard, I found myself throwing up in the middle of the night. Coincidental?

Unbeknownst to me, I had been tracking mud on my shoes after they displaced the soil to repair our broken line. On 2019-01-10 by John

Reply by (mod) - sewage contaminated mud is likely to contain bacterial hazards

I agree that open sewage on the ground surface would be a likely health hazard, particularly as you may pick up fecal coliforms (FC) when walking in that area and your shoes might track sewage contaminants indoors, depending on just how wet with sewage contamianted mud your shoes became.

Supporting research

• Ashraf, Muhammad Aqeel, Mohd Jamil Maah, and Ismail Yusoff. "Soil contamination, risk assessment and remediation." Environmental risk assessment of soil contamination 1 (2014): 3-56.
• Meuser, Helmut. Contaminated urban soils. Vol. 18. Springer Science & Business Media, 2010.
• Patterson, R.A. (1999). PEAT TREATMENT of SEPTIC TANK EFFLUENT [PDF] in Patterson, R.A. (Ed) 1999. Proceedings of On-site '99 Conference: Making on-site wastewater systems work. 13-15 July 1999. Held at University of New England, Armidale. Lanfax Laboratories, Armidale. pp273-281. [copy on file as Peat_Septics_PattersonP43-peat.pdf ]
  
  Excerpt: Septic tank effluent (STE) is a noxious liquor of organic and inorganic residues, present as soluble and insoluble materials in a liquid matrix. It is usually characterised in terms of those constituents that give rise to pollution; nitrogen (ammonia, nitrite and nitrate), phosphorus, total suspended solids (TSS), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5 ) and faecal coliforms (FC).
• Rattan, R. K., S. P. Datta, P. K. Chhonkar, K. Suribabu, and A. K. Singh. "Long-term impact of irrigation with sewage effluents on heavy metal content in soils, crops and groundwater—a case study." Agriculture, ecosystems & environment 109, no. 3-4 (2005): 310-322.
• Scandura, J. E., and M. D. Sobsey. "Viral and bacterial contamination of groundwater from on-site sewage treatment systems." Water Science and Technology 35, no. 11-12 (1997): 141-146.

Sewage spill in parking lot - not cleaned-up

Miss Anne Gauvin - 2019/07/21

People are walking through this people are driving through this should I be calling the health department...Monday I believe it'll be eight days t..is an apartment complex

Reply by (mod):

You called your health derpartment, right? If you've still not done so I recommend that step.

Will neighbor's sump pump emptying at the property line contaminate my vegetable garden?

I have a neighbor that is pumping his sump pump out to the property line and it empties out on my yard, it has left dark spots where his pump has been. If this is sewage will it contaminate my veggies I grow and will it be a harm walking on it? On 2018-06-27 1 by Anonymous

by (mod) - sewage risks contaminating your vegetables and tracking pathogens on your feet into your home.

Anon

Yes IF it's sewage being pumped by the neighbor, then there are sewage risks contaminating your vegetables and tracking pathogens on your feet into your home.

If that's what's happening then what you describe is not just disgusting and mean on your neighbor's part, it is unsanitary, unhealthy, and in most countries and jurisdictions, illegal. If your neighbor isn't going to stop this practice of literally pooping on his neighbors, you need to ask for help from your health department.

But first you need to understand what kind of wastewater is being discharged. For example, if it's normal groundwater from under or around the building there may not be a sewage issue.

Municipal sewage running out of a manhole cover damaged my house foundation - town won't fix it.

We have had an ongoing raw sewage running out of a man cover from the main sewer line of the town and under my house and out the other side.

The sewage leak has caused damage to the foundation and also ruts under house 2 feet deep from it running.

Tthe town was told 3 years ago to fix it by the health department. The town sent a letter saying that the problem was fixed, but this is not true.

I have a wife and 3 young kids living here.

I need help we are sick all the time I have weird stuff on my arms legs feet that looks like its growing plz help me need more info and possibly a lawyer not sure what to do I am helpless. On 2019-05-26 by Jeremy

Answer by (mod) -

Jeremy

Watch out: What you are describing could be very dangerous and present serious health and safety problems for people in your home, both from the health risks of sewage exposure and the danger of a structural collapse.

I can't see enough by text to tell you to get out of the building but you certainly at the very least need immediate help from your health department.

You might also look for a local legal aid attorney who could help you get proper attention of your town and health department officials,

AND you need to ask your doctor for health and safety advice. Do keep me posted.

Part-way Open Lid on Septic Tank Smells - is this legal?

My landlord dug up my septic On July 5th and it is now August 13th

The concrete lid [shown above] is sitting on top of it with a one age gap it stinks very badd and is less than 10' from my front door is it legal to leave my septic tank exposed for this long

Not only is my septic dug up and exposed but 6 of the other mobiles in my court also I just wanna know if this is legal My child and I have almost fell in the hole multiple times On 2019-08-13 by Kirstin

by (mod) - un-sanitary and un-safe septic tank lid risks fatality

Watch out Kirstin:

falling into a septic tank is usually immediately fatal - you die.

If there is the slightest doubt about the safety of the septic tank covers and access openings

1. rope off and prevent access to anywhere the septic tanks IMMEDIATELY

2. notify the landlord of an immediate life safety hazard

3. ask for help from your health department - who can also comment on open sewage - a health concern

See our detailed advice and safety warnings

at SEPTIC TANK COVERS 

Sewage Spill on Ceramic or Un-Glazed Floor Tiles FAQs

What's the hazard of sewage spill on unglazed floor tiles?

We had a sewage back-up that spread to 4 rooms. We have a type of Mexican pavers, called Saltillo tile on the floor, which does not have a glaze and is fired at a low temp.

As a result it very porous according to the internet. It took 3 weeks to dry the rooms enough to pass inspection. The spill is the responsibility of a contractor. He just wants to steam clean. Should the tile be removed? On 2017-06-30 by Mark

Answer by (mod) -

Mark,

While accuracy and truth have become a weak commodity these days, I still have to say that truthfully, I can't assess the need to remove tile by e-text.

Steam cleaning will not disinfect deeply into floor tiles (nor much of anything else) though it can clean the floor surface. That's because steam temperatures will not be able to remain high enough nor penetrate deeply enough to disinfect beyond the surface of most materials.

In general you'd expect the sewage-contaminated floor to be thoroughly cleaned, sanitized / disinfected, then swab-tested to confirm that it is not giving up bacteria or other pathogens from the sewage spill. A fancier test might include wetting the cleaned floor with sterile water and after that sits a bit, swab-testing that as well.

Tests and inspections of the work must be performed by someone completely independent from the cleaning contractor.

If the tiles are securely in place, no sewage odors remain, and the floor was disinfected and tested to show it's sanitary, I don't see a justification for going further.

However I'd be very concerned if the sewage backup that spread into your four rooms seeped into the bottom of wall cavities. If nobody pulled off baseboard trim, drywall, etc. to check and clean those areas, problems could remain with both sewage contaminants and perhaps mold contamination too.

Should I get rid of tile on floor covered by sewage?

I had our septic system back up all over the bottom floor of our home.

The insurance company will not paid to replace the tiled floor in the bathrooms and kitchen. I understand that the tile would usually not be contaminated by the category 3 water but there were cracks in the tile and the septic water got down in the cracks and contaminated the mastic and sat under the tile.

Is there another way to get the contaminants out of my home other than getting rid of the tile? (Apr 6, 2015) V. Pierce

Reply by (mod):

VP

If sewage seeped underneath the tile floor - which might be evident as loose tile or by seeing stains on the underside of the subfloor when viewed from below (cut some inspection openings if necessary) then a bacterial hazard is likely to remain in the home.

Your choices are to remove material, sanitize and replace flooring, sanitize all the exposed surfaces and take your chances (perhaps with some criteria on how to decide if further work is needed), or to attempt to seal both sides of the leaked-into flooring: from below with a sanitizer then a sealant and above with another layer of flooring. (Ugh).

Fundamentally: you cannot remove contaminants without removing them. The tautology means that simply waving a vacuum in the air or spraying one side of a floor does not remove contaminants from the multiple layers of materials.

Test floors for urine, feces, sewage contamination

I have recently moved to a property and found the floor (chip board floating floor, which cannot be cleaned) is contaminated with urine and possibly faeces.

The flooring is to be changed by the landlord but my possessions have been in contact with it and I would like to know the exact nature i.e. if it is faeces or not. I want to have it tested in a laboratory. I'm in the UK. I realise you are based in the U.S.A. but do you know anywhere here where I could send samples to?

My housing association is not prepared to send samples off for testing. Also, the flooring is being changed Tuesday next week and Monday is a holiday here, so I will need to take samples before then.

Do you think I should literally take a piece of flooring up myself and put it in a sealed bag to be sent to a lab? I realise the bag will be sterile but will the results still be indicative of the contamination? Also what are the risks to my health? I would appreciate any help. Thanks. (Aug 28, 2015) Eve

Reply by (mod):

Eve

A local environmental test lab can send a technician to your home to collect several representative environmental samples, perhaps using a sterile swab test. That would make more sense than carrying flooring or materials around and certainly you want to use a local test lab not one in another country.

The health risks are not something we can accurately guess from an e-text. In principle there could be bacterial or other pathogenic hazards.

If a sewage spill was left untouched., is it safe five years later?

I've had a sewage leak in my garage from block of flats above, this was around 3/5 years ago and I haven't touched it since, would it be OK now or do I still have to clean up?

Garage has no lights either it's quite dark in there, thanks On 2018-02-06 by Rachelle Boyle

by (mod) - have a proper sewage spill cleanup done

You should have a proper cleanup done - if nothing else to remove physical debris and disinfect or sanitize the exposed surfaces, assuming those are solid masonry.

If sewage leaked into wood framed or steel framed walls covered with plaster or drywall there may be other cleanup needed.