What Is Gray Water?

4/18/2019 (Permalink)

Water damage on carpet in a Cary, NC commercial building

Restoration professionals refer to contaminated water that does not contain solid waste as Category Two or gray water. This water may originate from an appliance or shower overflow. Clean Category One water can also degrade into Category Two water damage if it is left standing for days before or after water pipe repair. Find out more about gray water and how to differentiate between the three categories of water damage.

Sources of Gray Water

Gray water may contain chemicals, microbes or other contaminants. There are several common sources for Category Two water damage:

• Appliance overflows
  
• Shower overflows
  
• Broken aquariums
  
• Degraded water
  
  

Category One water from a broken pipe can degrade to Category Two if left standing for longer than 48 hours before or after water pipe repair. Standing water can become highly contaminated Category Three water within a few days.

Gray Water Risks

Gray water does not contain solid waste like Category Three water, but may contain bacteria and other biohazards. It is important to disinfect any area flooded with contaminated water as well as building materials and contents.

Gray Water Cleanup

Water damage mitigation experts can extract gray water from a structure. Once standing water has been removed, restoration specialists can determine whether the following building materials should be torn out and replaced:

• Carpet
  
• Drywall
  
• Insulation
  
  

Porous materials or contents can be difficult to disinfect and may increase bacteria or mold growth risks. After damaged materials have been removed, the affected area should be cleaned, disinfected and dried.

Gray water damage may not be as severe as damage that involves black water, but Category Two water is still contaminated. A property owner or manager should contact a plumber to clear a blockage or perform water pipe repair. A mitigation and restoration service can assess and clean up any category of water damage present at a building in Cary, NC.