How Backflow Can Cause Potential Water Contamination and Health Hazard

Backflow prevention is the best way to protect your family from water contamination and health hazards related to drinking unsafe water. Without backflow protection, unsafe greywater can enter your water system and contaminate the fresh water supply, which can put the health of your family at risk.

What is greywater and how can it contaminate your fresh water supply? The definition of greywater includes any domestic wastewater that is produced, not including sewage. Although, sewage could potentially backflow and contaminate a home’s water supply. The main difference between sewage (also known as blackwater) and domestic wastewater or greywater is that it can be re-used and sewage water cannot.

To better protect your family from unsafe water it is important to know how backflow can potentially cause water contamination and become a health hazard.

Understanding Backflow and How it Can Cause Potential Water Contamination

Backflow occurs when the flow of wastewater is reversed and mixed with your fresh water supply, which can result in serious health problems that could cause illness, disease, and ultimately death. There are two types of backflow that can occur:

Backpressure backflow – this happens when the water pressure in piping becomes greater than that of the pressure in the supply system, which can be caused by an elevated piping system.

Siphonage backflow – when water pressure of the main water supply drops below that of the supply system, such as in the case of a burst pipe or broken watermain, it creates a vacuum that can cause wasterwater to flow in a reverse direction, which can result in contamination of your supply system.

Because of the health risks, backflow prevention is vitally important, In fact, backflow prevention devices are required, although there are still many buildings that do not yet have them installed. Those that do have backflow prevention devices need to make sure they are working properly, with backflow testing and repair services.

G. Brand & Sons Plumbers offer backflow prevention installation, backflow testing, and repair services. If needed, our licensed, expert plumbers are available 24/7. We cannot only conduct backflow testing and repairs, but can conduct a complete range of residential, commercial, and industrial plumbing services.

G. Brand & Sons plumbing services include:

• General plumbing services
• 24 hour emergency plumbing services
• Hot water system repairs and installation
• Gas leak inspection and repairs
• Burst and leaking pipes
• Gutter and roof repairs
• Blocked drains (CCTV camera)

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