Water Damage Categories

Understanding the three general categories of water damage is essential in determining proper procedures to safely restore structure, contents and materials:

Category 1 -Clean water 

Clean water poses no substantial harm to humans if treated correctly. It originates from sources such as water supply lines and bath or sink overflows with no contaminants.

Category 2 - Gray Water

Gray water has the potential to cause discomfort or sickness. It contains a significant level of contamination. Examples include, discharge from dishwashers or washing machines and toilet overflows. Time and temperature aggravate category 2 contamination levels. Gray water remaining untreated for longer than 48 hours may change to Black water.

Category 3 - Black Water

Black water contains pathogenic agents and is grossly unsanitary. It includes sewage and contaminated water sources such as sewage backups, all forms of flooding from seawater, ground surface water and rising water from rivers or streams.