And The Hydrant Flushing Has Just Begun

As part of the town’s effort to improve water quality, the Water Department is conducting its seasonal hydrant flushing program, starting on Sept. 14 and continuing for about six weeks.

As posted on the town’s site:

Flushing will begin in the area of the Reeves Hill water storage tanks on Old Connecticut Path East. Please check the DPW website for an updated list of streets that may be affected by hydrant flushing. It will take approximately six (6) weeks to flush the water system. Please do not call Public Safety Dispatch unless a true emergency exists.

To minimize inconvenience, flushing activities will be conducted between the hours of 10 PM to 6 AM Sunday through Friday. Please make arrangements to minimize your water use during this time period to avoid drawing iron sediment into your water service. It is very important that all customers check their water before washing clothes to avoid rust discoloration. Some customers will experience rusty or black water caused by naturally occurring iron and manganese minerals. These non-health threatening minerals may cause staining of laundry and plumbing fixtures. To minimize these effects, avoid using products that contain chlorine (including automatic dishwashing detergents). This discoloration should only last a day or two while flushing in your immediate area. The Water Department recommends that when the water clears up, you flush out your hot water heater to remove any accumulated sediment.