Dealing with raw sewage in your yard can be a messy and unpleasant job. It’s crucial to handle it properly to prevent health risks and environmental damage.
This guide will walk you through simple steps and tips to clean up the mess safely and effectively.
The harmful pathogens contained in outdoor sewage spills pose a serious threat to people and the environment. If sewage spills outdoors:
- Take action as soon as possible.
- Make sure you wear protective clothing.
- Direct contact with sewage should be avoided.
- Ensure that children and pets are kept away from the area.
Yard Sewage & How Does It Happen
Raw sewage spills from a broken pipe and collects in your yard, causing yard sewage. It is important not to ignore or postpone this issue.
The longer you leave it untreated, the more expense, inconvenience, and health risks you will incur.
A host of dangerous illnesses, including hepatitis, can be contracted through exposure to open sewage.
In order to prevent further contamination, it is best not to allow yourself, children, or pets to access the affected areas until a professional has removed, cleaned, and inspected the waste.
Any property can suffer a sewage leak, regardless of how clean it is. Several reasons can cause sewage to back up into your yard, including:
- Pipes interfered with by tree roots
- Pipe corrosion
- A backup is loosening pipes
- Rupture of pipes
How Do You Treat It?
The sooner you discover that there is a sewage leak in your yard, the better. If you act quickly, you will prevent further damage from occurring and your yard will once again be able to function normally, safely, and in a pleasant way.
Consult a professional for advice. You may be able to handle a sewage spill on your own in rare circumstances. Consult your local health department, sewer removal company, or plumber before doing so.
Steps To Clean Up Outdoor Sewage Spills
Direct contact with sewage should be avoided. Unless safety guidelines are followed, very harmful bacteria and viruses can enter the body through sewage.
Make sure you’re protected against contamination by wearing rubber gloves, rubber boots, a waterproof bodysuit, goggles, and a mask.
To protect yourself if you don’t have all of these items, wear sunglasses, jeans, a raincoat, gardening gloves, or waterproof hiking boots.
A large garbage bag can provide more protection over your clothing. Unless you are keeping protective items and clothing, dispose of them after cleaning. You can wash them separately on a 60°C setting if you choose to keep them.
You should also keep in mind the following things when handling raw sewage:
- Make sure any cuts or grazes are covered.
- After touching sewage, wash your hands.
- If you are in or near contaminated areas, do not eat or drink.
1. Make Sure The Area Is Secure And Prepared
Prevent further contamination by isolating the affected area.
You should remove all items that can be disinfected later, such as garden furniture, toys, and props for washing lines.
2. If The Sewage Spill Is Minor:
The affected area should be covered in white dust after liberally sprinkled with garden lime.
Mix lime into thick sewage with a rake or spade if it is thicker in certain areas. After lime has been applied, let it stand for 24 hours.
Place double-bagged, heavy-duty trash bags over sewage-contaminated lime once it has dried.
Make sure all remnants of dried lime are removed from the ground by hosing them off. The area should be watered with a hose, sprinkler, or watering can. The area should be left to dry for a day in the sun.
As raking can slow the process of killing bacteria, wait until the affected area is exposed to sunlight before raking it. To remove white dust from lime, water the area until it disappears.
3. If The Sewage Spill Is Major (Or There Is A Lack Of Sun, Such As In Winter):
The best thing to do is to contact a pumper truck or sewage cleanup company that has been approved. The vacuum tanker is an efficient way to extract large quantities of liquid from the ground.
It is necessary to remove solid waste and debris by hand and place them in bin bags before disposing of them.
Remember that lime and bleach can be as hazardous as raw sewage, so keep children and pets away from the area while clean-up is underway.
Contaminated Areas, Materials, And Objects
Natural surfaces such as grass, dirt, and dirt should not be bleached. For septic tank cleaning or environmental waste cleanup, contact a company that specializes in septic tanks.
Any item that has been exposed to small amounts of sewage should be washed in hot water or brought to a dry cleaner. Clothing that has been affected should not be mixed with clothing that has not been affected.
A hard bristle brush should be used to scrub driveways, patios, decks, ornaments, tables, benches, and other garden furniture and hard surfaces using hot water, bleach, and soap. Protect yourself from heat by wearing gloves.
Clean-up must be followed by disinfection of contaminated items. It is more likely that further contamination will occur if objects remain contaminated for an extended period of time.
Furthermore, if you grow crops on the land, you must stop doing so for at least 12 months.
What Is Considered A Minor Spill?
It is considered a minor spill when less than ten gallons of raw sewage are spilled. Agricultural stores sell garden lime, which can be used to treat minor spills.
Adding lime to sewage will cause it to break down more quickly and alleviate its unpleasant odor. Whenever you come into close contact with sewage, take precautions to ensure your safety.
Final Words
It can be overwhelming, costly, and dangerous to deal with a sewage leak in your yard on your own. The best thing you can do if you notice large amounts of raw sewage in your yard is to call a professional.
For your family’s health, safety, and convenience, a sewage cleanup company uses special equipment and professional trucks to remove the waste from your property.
Remember that sewage is more hazardous if it has been present for a long period of time. Additionally, mold growth is more likely to occur and pose a health hazard.
If you want to maintain sterility in your home, you should clean the patios and decks as well as the driveway. Once you have finished using the PPE, you must throw it away.
