Water is something needed by everyone; people, plants, animals and even the planet need water. Water also is needed in the right amounts; too little water leads to droughts which can lead to loss of crops, wildfires and other things, and too much water causes floods and other damage. Water as a cause of loss is something that can often be confusing as standard policy language deals with flooding, surface water, overflow and backup, with each term having a different meaning. Consequently, coverage varies depending on the determined cause of loss.

Recently heavy rains in Detroit led to flooding, but also led to the failure of sewer systems to handle the water which then led to water backing up through those systems and causing property damage. When that happens, what is the cause of loss—flooding, which as we know is generally excluded; or is it backup of a sewer or drain, which may be covered by the proper form?

Let's look at the basics. A backup is when water reverses direction; it starts to flow down a pipe or drain and then because of some reason, often a blockage, the water reverses directions and goes back the way it came—this is a backup. An overflow is when an area is filled to capacity and then spreads beyond its limits; there is so much water that the pipes cannot hold anymore and they overflow. A sink with the drain plugged where the water is turned on and the sink fills to the brim and then spills water onto the floor has overflowed. A discharge is when water pours from some source. Merriam Webster online defines discharge as: to pour forth fluid or other contents.