Sewage is often confused with black water

In Australia, sewage is considered to be any mix of black water (water from toilets and bidets, as well as from storm drains, gutters, etc.) and greywater (from sinks, bathtubs, washing machines, etc.), but grey water alone is not considered sewage.

However, any water left unmanaged for a long enough period of time will eventually be reclassified as black water, as the risk of exposure to faeces and other contaminants increases.

In the sewage industry, these are known by different names:

• Clean water: Category 1 water (water from taps, Flexi-hoses, mains pipe bursts, etc.)
• Greywater: Category 2 water (water from sinks, baths, showers, washing machines, dishwashers, etc.; typically has trace amounts of faecal matter, and can have urine).
• Blackwater: Category 3 water (sewage, stormwater, floodwater, anything that could reasonably have faeces, as well as water that has been left uncontrolled for 48 hours or longer)

Sewage cleaning usually has fairly clear steps,

Whether you DIY it or get in a professional. We’ve listed them out below, as well as a quick explanation of each step:

1. Stop the source of the sewage ingress.
   1. This may involve a plumber, or if sewage flow is a result of heavy rains, cleanup may happen as soon as the rain stops causing backflow or flooding into the building.
2. Remove sewage solids.
   1. This usually involves extractors, shovels, wet-and-dry vacuums, and more.
3. Remove sewage liquids.
   1. This usually involves disposable towels.
4. Remove any affected items, contents, and building materials.
   1. In cases of large-scale sewage ingress, usually, a third-party skip bin is used to reduce costs and increase the job speed
5. Sanitise all affected areas.
   1. This can be done with any disinfectant, but bleach is most often used.
6. Dry the area using drying equipment.
   1. For larger jobs, this often involves commercial dehumidifiers and air movers/fans, but in very small jobs, this step is sometimes not completed.

Sewage cleaning can become expensive quickly,

But there is no easy way to estimate costs. Many companies will not charge less than around $500, but a bill this size would be a result of sewage only flowing onto a non-porous surface (bathroom tiling, concrete, etc.), and no drying equipment needed to dry the area.

Costs increase with added size and complexity of the job. Complications could include:

• Sewage inside the walls, under flooring, or in the ceiling
  • Especially if the walls aren’t made of gyprock. NLR Sewage Cleanup is able to handle sewage spills in asbestos and other types of buildings, but for obvious reasons, costs increase if sewage-affected asbestos must be removed and disposed of.
• Particularly large amounts of sewage are in the building
• Multiple rooms are affected
• The breaker limits in the area are particularly low
• The building is particularly wet
• Electrical components have been exposed to sewage, which requires isolation by an electrician
• The sewage has been left for a longer period of time
• The building is a long way from metropolitan Brisbane or Sydney
• And more

This depends on if it’s an insurance claim or a private job.

For insurance claims, we are able to bill insurance directly, but for private jobs, we accept credit cards, direct deposits, or cheques.

For most jobs, we are happy to accept payment after job completion and will provide a completed invoice after confirmation of payment.

We are primarily a surface sewage removal and cleanup company.

To clear up any confusion, we DO NOT offer:

• Septic tank pumping or emptying
• Removal of large volumes of contaminated water (such as pools).
• Sewage cleanup in public or natural environments (such as from soil, backyards or streets)
• Council-related services

However, we are experts in cleaning residential & commercial sewage spills, overflows and more!