1. Stop the spread
Doors are closed, vents covered and the work area is isolated so contamination stays where it started.
East Palo Alto, CA · San Mateo County
A toilet, tub or floor drain just overflowed in East Palo Alto. Call (877) 812-4220 at any hour to get sewage removal, disinfection and odor treatment so the space can be used safely again.
If anyone is in danger, call 911 first. For a suicide crisis, call or text 988.
Sewage is classed as Category 3, the most contaminated level of water, sometimes called black water. Category 3 cleanup uses personal protective equipment, sealed disposal and EPA-registered disinfectants.
If sewage has reached your home, rental or business in East Palo Alto or elsewhere in San Mateo County, get raw sewage cleanup, sewage removal and disinfection from East Palo Alto Biohazard Cleanup Help. A cleanup team works in protective equipment and follows OSHA safety rules for infectious materials.
Many homes in East Palo Alto, about 70%, date from before 1980. Older plumbing is a common source of backups, and older flooring and trim soak up sewage deeply. San Mateo County carries a Relatively High river flood risk rating from FEMA, and rising water can overload sewer pipes and push wastewater back up through floor drains.
Sewage & Biohazard Cleanup in East Palo Alto usually includes:
Doors are closed, vents covered and the work area is isolated so contamination stays where it started.
The team takes out all standing wastewater and wipes down wet surfaces before touching anything else.
Carpet, padding, drywall and insulation that soaked up sewage are cut out, bagged and hauled away as contaminated waste.
Every exposed surface is cleaned and disinfected, then the team confirms the area is ready for repairs or normal use.
Expect sewage & biohazard cleanup in East Palo Alto, CA to cost roughly $1,500 to $10,000, with the final price set after an on-site assessment.
Commercial sites can cost more or less depending on access, hours and how much of the building has to stay in use during cleanup.
| Type of job | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Category 3 sewage | $2,500 - $10,000 |
| Typical project | $2,000 - $10,000 |
| Most homeowners | $2,000 - $10,000 |
| Category 3 sewage | $7.50 - $7.50 per square foot |
Figures are planning ranges from Bob Vila, Fixr, BioCleaners Directory, Biohazard cleanup company pricing guide, not a price for any specific East Palo Alto property. Price drivers include square footage affected, category of water, porous materials that must be removed, drying time. Call (877) 812-4220 any hour.
Plumbers usually clear the blockage or repair the pipe, but most do not remove contaminated materials or disinfect the space. A sewage cleanup company picks up where the plumber stops, and the two jobs often happen in sequence.
No. Water from a clean source can often be dried in place, but sewage is a biohazard that requires removal of contaminated materials and disinfection. Drying alone does not make a sewage-affected space safe.
Category 3 water is the most contaminated level, and sewage is the standard example. It can carry disease-causing germs and should never be cleaned with household supplies alone. Flood water that touched sewage is treated the same way.
Watch for a rotten-egg or sewer smell, wet spots or stains on floors and walls, unusually green grass over a pipe, and multiple drains backing up at the same time. If any of these show up, keep people away from the area and have the cause checked.
Sewage can carry germs such as E. coli, norovirus, hepatitis A and Giardia. They spread through skin contact, splashes and hand to mouth contact. Washing well and wearing protection reduce the risk, but removal by a crew reduces it most.
Concrete is porous, so sewage soaks in. The surface is scrubbed, rinsed and treated with a disinfectant, and the wash water is collected rather than spread. Stubborn odor may need a second round of treatment.
Call (877) 812-4220 any hour and describe what is on the floor.
Call (877) 812-4220