Are sewer overflows health hazards?
Sewer overflows may expose you to bacteria. Overflows contain everything that goes down your drain, including water from washing machines, dishwashers, sinks, showers, and toilets. Although the toilet water is diluted by the other water, we urge you to avoid contact. If you can’t avoid contact, wash thoroughly with soap and water. Skin contact doesn’t pose a serious health risk, but there is some risk of disease from swallowing bacteria. So, we urge you to always wash your hands before preparing or eating food, after using the bathroom (or helping someone else use the bathroom, changing diapers, cleaning toilets, etc.), and after handling anything that had contact with floodwater or sewage.
