City cleaning watermains in Falconbridge

The city will be swabbing and flushing watermains in Falconbridge starting Monday Oct. 27.

The work will take place from 12:01 a.m. to 8 a.m. and then Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.

The City of Greater Sudbury is responsible for a municipal watermain network of approximately 950 kilometres. Each spring and summer, a portion of this total watermain network is scheduled for cleaning to maintain the quality of municipal drinking water.

Iron and manganese, minerals that naturally occur in groundwater, eventually settle in municipal water mains, sometimes causing brownish or reddish coloured tap water. There are no health risks associated with discoloured water, but high iron content may stain laundry.

Flushing scours sediments from the bottom and sides of municipal water mains using high velocity water pressure. Fire hydrants and blow-off valves are used as flushout points. Residents may notice discoloured water and/or low water pressure during flushing operations.

Swabbing is a more intensive cleaning method using a soft material to scour sediments from water mains. Residents in neighbourhoods scheduled for water main swabbing will receive a hand delivered notice. It is very important to turn off the main water valve inside your home to avoid drawing debris into household plumbing during swabbing operations.

Storage reservoirs are also drained, scrubbed and disinfected yearly.

Before water main cleaning begins in your neighbourhood, you should:
-Store water in the refrigerator for cooking and consumption.
-Finish laundry and dish washing.
-Fill your bathtub with water for washing hands and flushing toilets (during water main swabbing only).

If you notice discoloured water following flushing or swabbing operations, let the cold water tap closest to your water meter run slowly for several minutes until the water is clear of any sediments in your water pipes. If water is cloudy, you can let the cold water tap at the highest point in your home run slowly for a few minutes to release trapped air bubbles that cause cloudiness.

Prolonged episodes of discoloured water and/or low water pressure should be reported to the City of Greater Sudbury by dialing 311.