PUC flushes East End pipes. Brown water ensues

NEWS RELEASE

PUC SERVICES

****************************** Brown water complaints East End of city

This information is provided in response to the many inquiries received from water customers regarding the brown water coming from their taps on Sunday (August 7) morning and to update the public on the situation.

This brown water is not a health related issue and is not linked to heavy rains in any way.

The discolouration is the result of a change in direction of water flowing in the distribution system that results from flushing of distribution pipes.

Flushing sometimes stirs up pre-existing sediment that results from internal corrosion of cast iron pipes, causing the sediment to remain suspended for some time.

In most cases the discolouration will clear up with 15 to 20 minutes of flushing.

PUC staff, in the course of working on equipment in the east end wells, were required to flush distribution water through the pumping station, which resulted in the change in normal direction at velocities that were high enough to disturb the existing sediment.

This was an unplanned event.

PUC flushes the entire distribution system each year as part of its regular maintenance program utilizing fire hydrants across the city.

PUC is currently working through the system, but the east end of the city has yet to be done at this point.

Discoloured (yellow to reddish brown) water is a common occurrence of system flushing operations.

If you have flushed your household plumbing for at least 20 minutes and are still experiencing discoloured water, please call PUC Customer Service at 705-759-6522 during normal hours and 705-759-6555 after hours.

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