Water Main Flushing Resumes

Water Utility crews have resumed routine flushing of water mains today. Because recent rains have somewhat eased drought conditions and water demand has returned to normal levels, workers have returned to their schedule of directing water through the mains at high velocity to remove accumulated mineral sediment. To improve water quality and minimize discoloration, City of Madison water mains are comprehensively flushed by a technique known as unidirectional flushing. The procedure is performed in warm-weather months and involves the systematic opening and closing of hydrants and valves, one section of main at a time, to force the water through the pipes at high velocity to improve water quality and minimize discoloration. The operation can take from a few minutes to over an hour, although most last about 30 minutes. The weekly flushing schedule is posted on the Water Utility's webpage at http://www.cityofmadison.com/water/programs/waterFlushing.cfm and is also published in the Wisconsin State Journal.

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