Sewage Bacteria

Sewage contamination is a common issue when sewer systems fail, backup, overflow, etc. and contaminate a structure. Numerous organisms can be found in sewage, such as Escherichia coli, Salmonella, and Shigella. These organisms can cause various illnesses, infections, and generally create unsanitary conditions. Typically, a remediation company will isolate an area where a sewage leak has occurred, non-salvageable items will be removed for disposal (all porous materials should be discarded), standing water will be removed to the extent practical, initial disinfecting performed, the affected area rapidly dried, lower wall cavities opened if necessary, a bactericidal disinfectant applied, and the area then tested for sewage contamination to ensure the area has been adequately cleaned and sanitized for re-inhabitance.  It’s important for them to ensure that the cleanup of the sewage contamination was thorough enough. With soil that is contaminated with sewage, the same principle applies when knowing what to do.  Contact a remediation company.

The Guzi-West team utilizes rapid clearance monitoring equipment, a Clean-Trace NG3 Luminometer, to perform sewage clearance testing measurements within the affected areas of a structure. The Luminometer measures the presence of Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP) which is a protein present in all animal and vegetable matter; the meter utilizes a reaction agent and the reaction of the meter’s reagent along with the tip of the sample swab/s containing material from tested surfaces is utilized to accurately measure the amount of ATP present. The intensity of light generated from the reaction is displayed in Relative Light Units (RLU) – the higher the RLU, the greater amount of ATP is present. The combination of these measurements, along with field observations and coordination with the restoration contractor, determine if the remediation actions have been adequately completed and the area now safe to re-inhabit. The use of our on-site equipment, and experience, helps home and building owners quickly regain access to their spaces.