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Water Main Flushing Program
Water main flushing is an annual process to help maintain a City's water distribution pipe system.
The City's 2022 Uni-Directional Flushing program is scheduled to run from October 19 to November 30, 2022. Flushing operations will be carried out between 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, although this is subject to change.
What is flushing?
Flushing is a method of cleaning the water main pipes by forcing water through them at high speed and discharging it through hydrants, which are left open until the water runs clear. This fast-moving water flow scours and cleans out mineral deposits and sediment that have built up over time and settled at the bottom of the pipes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Unfortunately, we cannot. The water main flushing for each section of the pipeline can vary from five minutes to an hour and a half. When one section of the pipeline is completed, they will move on to the next section.
City staff are working hard to minimize the disruption caused in your area, and due to the varied timeline of the work, it is difficult to schedule a specific time.
- Do not: turn on your taps or flush your toilets when crews are working in your area. This could draw sediment into the water pipes on your property, water meter, hot water tank, and into water filters.
- Do: Turn off all time-delayed water-line appliances.
- Do: watch for City signage on your street as that will indicate flushing is taking place in your immediate area. The procedure takes 30 minutes to 1 hour for each street.
If you experience a loss of water (over after two or three hours), please call Operations at 604-541-2181.
- Catch some water in a light coloured cup or container to see if it is clear. You can use your water if it is clear.
- Do not choose a tap that has a water filter connected to it; otherwise, the sediment may clog your filter.
- Do not use a hot water tap because it could draw sediment into your hot water tank. Once the water runs clear place back the aerator.