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Sewage Removal, Eastbourne

Domestic Sewage Leak, East Sussex

April 12, 2023

Situation

A waste pipe above a flat had caused raw sewage to build up in the loft space, resulting in part of the ceiling collapsing into the living area which houses the kitchen, lounge and dining room. Contaminated water flooded into the living room then flowed into the hall and bedroom next door and into the kitchen causing the end panels and kickboards to blow and delaminate. The walls of the living room being used were 'dot and dab' (the method used to fix plasterboard to a concrete or brick wall).

Inspection

We arrived onsite at the Victorian property to see that most of the ceiling was intact but contaminated with raw sewage. It was clear the ceiling would need to come down and need to be carefully disposed of. It also featured a suspended wooden floor, so it was inevitable that the water would have drained into the floor void therefore professional sewage removal and sanitisation would be required. The odour was affecting the other flats so we would need to control this in addition to safely cleaning up the damage.

Solution - professional sewage removal

The first stage of sewage removal was to stabilise the situation as follows:

Treat all affected areas with an anti-microbial
Clean up the raw sewage from the floor and walls
Remove and dispose of contaminated floor coverings
Clear all contents from the property
Carry out minor strip-out of visible contaminated building fixtures and fittings
Get a safe power supply for the stabilisation equipment
Install stabilisation equipment
Install air manager to protect other residents in the building
Clean the carpet in the entrance hall where all the contaminated materials came through.

The second stage of was strip-out: All the un-restorable absorbent materials such as dot and dab plasterboard on walls were completely stripped out, exposing the wet block work behind. This included partitioning between the lounge and the bedroom. Then, the contaminated suspended ceiling and the chipboard flooring were removed and a temporary board was installed for access and the installation of drying equipment.

The next step was to check the electrics, as they had come into contact with the sewage water. A temporary supply was used to handle the amount of drying equipment and installed heaters as the boiler was affected so was not working.

The final stage was to sanitise all exposed building fixtures and fittings, decontaminate the void space, carry out odour treatment to all affected areas. We then installed drying equipment to dry out the affected building structure and floor void.

Health and safety during sewage cleanup

The main risks identified during sewage removal were:

1. Manual Handling: All our technicians are manual handling trained or supervised by a trained technician to move equipment around the site.

2. Technicians must wear protective clothing and equipment to minimise exposure to raw sewage & ensure they follow HSE guidance.

3. Electrical safety of equipment: All equipment is PAT tested within regulations. We also provided a detailed risk assessment and method statement in line with CDM Regulations.

You can read more about the dangers associated with sewage leaks and why professional sewage removal is so important here.

Sewage Removal in East Sussex

If you have been affected by a sewage leak and need help restoring your property after contamination with professional sewage removal, CPL t/a Rainbow Restoration are the friendly experts you need. Our specialist team are fully equipped to handle all manner of sewage disasters in both domestic and commercial settings. Get in contact today; call us on freephone 0800 0304360 to find out more.

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