Category 3 contamination
Certified equipment for the water your wet-vac can’t safely touch.
Black water extraction in Portland, Oregon is the certified removal of Category 3 contaminated water — the most hazardous water damage classification, which includes sewage backups and flooding contaminated with waste. Standard household wet-vacs and mops aren’t rated for this contamination level and put you at risk of pathogen exposure. Portland Sewage Cleanup runs certified black water extraction 24/7 across Portland; call (888) 555-0123 now rather than attempt removal yourself.
The restoration industry uses a three-tier classification: Category 1 is clean water from a sanitary source, Category 2 is gray water with some contamination — think washer or dishwasher overflow — and Category 3 is black water, contaminated with bacteria, viruses, and parasites. Sewage backups and flooding that contacts waste are always treated as Category 3.
Truck-mounted extraction units and submersible pumps rated for solids and contamination, plus PPE — respirators, gloves, boot covers, protective suits — are what standard cleanup tools and household protection simply don’t provide.
Stop water use if the source is internal. Keep people and pets away from the contaminated area. Don’t attempt extraction with household equipment. Ventilate only if it won’t spread airborne contamination. Call immediately.
Pathogen exposure without proper PPE, incomplete extraction leaving contaminated moisture behind walls and under flooring, and cross-contamination if household equipment is reused elsewhere afterward are all real risks.
Assessment and containment come first, followed by certified extraction equipment deployment, disposal of contaminated porous materials, disinfection of the remaining structure, structural drying and dehumidification, and documentation for your insurance claim. (Portland’s municipal drinking water — sourced from the Bull Run Watershed — has nothing to do with the contaminated black water this service addresses; the two systems are entirely separate.)
Black water damage typically requires professional documentation for a claim. We photograph, measure moisture, and log affected materials — we don’t provide legal or insurance advice.
On the job
24/7 emergency dispatch
Call for immediate dispatch — no forms, no waiting on a callback.
Grossly contaminated water — sewage backups, flooding that contacts waste, or standing water with hazardous contaminants — carrying bacteria, viruses, and parasites. It requires certified extraction equipment and PPE, not standard wet-vac work.
No. Household wet-vacs aren’t rated for Category 3 contamination, and using one risks direct pathogen exposure and cross-contamination of unaffected areas.
24/7 emergency response
Call-only dispatch — talk to a real crew, not a form.