Flood question

[Aerovette]

Some people are choosing to move to the second floor of their homes. This got me wondering. If you have a downstairs bathroom and an upstairs bathroom, it would seem that the water from the toilet and subsequent sewer system, becomes one with the flood water. I also believe that there is no way you could flush the toilet upstairs. True?

[MrPeabody]

Originally Posted by aerovette

Some people are choosing to move to the second floor of their homes. This got me wondering. If you have a downstairs bathroom and an upstairs bathroom, it would seem that the water from the toilet and subsequent sewer system, becomes one with the flood water. I also believe that there is no way you could flush the toilet upstairs. True?

Chances are the water flooding your house is already contaminated with things you don't want to even imagine anyway.

[DAB]

it might go down the pipe, but it likely is not ending up in the septic tank or septic system. those pipes and tanks are full at this point.

[Aerovette]

Originally Posted by DAB

it might go down the pipe, but it likely is not ending up in the septic tank or septic system. those pipes and tanks are full at this point.

No septic system. Regular sewer system.

[DAB]

Originally Posted by aerovette

No septic system. Regular sewer system.

it'll go as far as the current water level in the street. and stay there until the water level drops and the sewer starts draining again. yuck.

[Kevin_73]

Shit only flows downhill until it hits the water level.

[DAB]

imagine you have a bucket of water, and you put a hose into it partway, so the end is about 1 foot above the bucket. you pour water into the hose. it will go as far as the water level, and then stop. you could have science day some day and demonstrate this to yourself.

fill bucket with 4 gallons of clean water. stick a short hose with a funnel into the bucket, keep funnel (toilet) about 1 foot above water. pour in 1/4 cup of milk or colored water (something you can see). watch what happens. if you have clean tubing, this works even better.

you could even down scale this to a glass of water, a straw, and some water with food coloring. same idea. it will stay in the straw/hose/pipe until more is poured in later on.

[Kerrmudgeon]

It will flush from the gravity but it will also come out at the first place that's open....the downstairs toilet!

Better off to bag your doo doos and save 'em till the flood's over.

[DAB]

Originally Posted by Kerrmudgeon

It will flush from the gravity but it will also come out at the first place that's open....the downstairs toilet!

Better off to bag your doo doos and save 'em till the flood's over.

at this point, assume flood waters more than about 1 foot deep are full of urine and feces.

[BuckyThreadkiller]

Here's another flood question - Saw a picture from inside a house.

All the lights were on but the floodwater was higher than the wall outlets. How the heck does this not blow every breaker in the place?

[VITE1]

If the water level is enough to force people to thier 2nd floor the sewer system AND fresh water systems ahve been compromised.

From what I've been told here in The Treasure costs they turn off the water to your home when the water level rises to s certain point. The sewer system is still open but they cut the water supply.

[04 commemorative]

Where we are most of the homes were flooded with bay water,ocean water. They were also contaminated with sewage for that very reason.
I guess you could say we were a little luckier because being on the beach the ocean went through and under our home. We are higher than any of the other homes so we had no sewage in our place but had a few feet of sand left in the house causing the mold etc.
It's horrible and as said before wife and I are going to see if we can drive down and help these people as people from other states came to help us in various ways.

[Kerrmudgeon]

Originally Posted by DAB

at this point, assume flood waters more than about 1 foot deep are full of urine and feces.

That's why all homes should be equipped with a back flow preventor. At least all you'd have to worry about is what's in the flood water, and not the sewers.

And I'd sure as heck be switching off circuits as they get to water level. walking through it could be shocking otherwise.

[VITE1]

Originally Posted by 04 commemorative

Where we are most of the homes were flooded with bay water,ocean water. They were also contaminated with sewage for that very reason.
I guess you could say we were a little luckier because being on the beach the ocean went through and under our home. We are higher than any of the other homes so we had no sewage in our place but had a few feet of sand left in the house causing the mold etc.
It's horrible and as said before wife and I are going to see if we can drive down and help these people as people from other states came to help us in various ways.

I have a friend whose home was covered in crap from the local sewer plant during Sandy. They had to throw out everything except the foundation.

[Bill]

Most municipalities have gas fired backup generators for the sewer plants and lift stations. As long as those facilities have power and the treated effluent has somewhere to go, you are good. We have clean running water, and working sewer.

[DAB]

I'd boil any water I drank.

[SubZero]

just poop out the window and watch it float away?

[Bill]

Originally Posted by SubZero

just poop out the window and watch it float away?

So basically business as usual then?

[Milton Fox]

Here's hoping there are no bears nearby.

[mrvette]

Originally Posted by bill_daniels

Most municipalities have gas fired backup generators for the sewer plants and lift stations. As long as those facilities have power and the treated effluent has somewhere to go, you are good. We have clean running water, and working sewer.

The lift station at bottom of my street, and on other/swamp side of the cross road...has a backup gen we hear take off when weather gets really bad.....

trick is, that lift station is same as the houses on that side of the street, backing up to the SWAMP we drown catfish in......so it floods along with the houses...