It’s the first day of fall, and that means hydrant flushing season in Collingwood.
Collingwood Water Department staffer Justin was on Birch Street Friday, Sept. 21, flushing hydrants. He said it makes a big difference in the life of the water main, and is always amazed to see the discolouration in the water each year he flushes hydrants. He will let the water run from the hydrant and into the nearest stormwater sewer until the water runs clear again. At the start, it’s a rusty brown colour. The process can take two to three months to get to every hydrant in town.
The town’s water distribution network includes 242 km of water mains ranging in size from 100 mm to 600 mm in diameter. Flushing the mains via hydrants is part of an annual preventative maintenance routine.
“Sediment and deposits naturally occur over time and if not removed can cause water quality deterioration including discolouration, taste, and odour problems,” states a notice from the Town of Collingwood. “We flush water mains annually, and all dead-end hydrants as required to remove these deposits – ensuring high water quality and adequate disinfection residuals are maintained. Chlorine residuals and flowing pressure readings are taken at each hydrant while flushing is taking place.”
If there’s a water main being flushed nearby your house, you may notice some discolouration in your tap water. The discolouration is a result of the extreme flow of water rushing through the pipes when the hydrant is flushed. The heavy flow disturbs deposits of sediment, which wouldn’t happen with normal water use.
If you do notice discolouration, wait a few minutes and try again. If you can see a hydrant being flushed nearby, wait until that’s done and your water will return to its clear state. According to the town’s notice, slight discolouration can occur for a few hours in some cases. The discolouration only affects the appearance of the water, not the taste or quality, according to the town.
The fall maintenance routine also includes checking and lubricating the hydrant ports, painting, installing hydrant markers, and replacing or making repairs to hydrants and any other work related to keeping the hydrants operational all year.
If you have any concerns, you can call the town’s water department at 705-445-1581.
