Correspondents in Sochi have been live-tweeting how dreadful the circumstances have been for the the 2014 Winter Olympics. Some of them have been humorous. However, some have been downright sad. Through social media communications, we have learned that some of the hotels had no running water at all – due to broken water mains – and several other hotel guests were warned not to use the water on their faces, because it “contains something extremely dangerous”. Thus, causing visitors to brush their teeth and wash their faces with bottled water. Really living the Kardashian lifestyle in Sochi!
One reporter staying in Sochi shared the picture above, taken from her hotel bathroom. And no, this was not an Instagrammed photo of their breakfast apple juice. This is water straight out of the bathroom faucet. Based on this picture, this would be considered Category 2 (or maybe 3) water. Whatever the case, you would not want to drink it.
You may not have bee aware of this, but there are 3 different categories of water damage in the property damage restoration world. The categories define the severity of pollution. Below is a breakdown of the three, in an effort to give you a better understanding of what’s happening in those glasses shown above:
· Category 1: Water originates from a sanitary water source (i.e. dishwasher, ice maker, etc.).
· Category 2: Water contains significant contagion and has the likelihood to cause illness or discomfort if contacted or consumed by people.
· Category 3: Water is grossly contaminated and can contain pathogenic, toxigenic or other harmful agents.
If flooding in your home occurs, working with a restoration company that understands this concept is critically important in ensuring the cleanup and repairs to your house are executed correctly so you don’t need more costly repairs later on, or worse yet, the incorrect job leads to a family member getting ill.
While the hosts of this year’s Winter Olympics are being flooded with criticisms, the water damage restoration professionals at Paul Davis are here to take care of your real floods in the States. No matter the category.
Here’s to a competitive, successful, and SAFE Winter Olympics, 2014!