HomeMy WebLinkAbout03-23-2007 Water main flushing to begin March 26 on east side o�sou Tx
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Office of the Mayor
NEWS RELEASE
Friday, March 23, 2007
9:00 AM
Contact: Mikki Dobski, Director of Communications&Special Projects, 235-5855 or 876-
1564, or David Tungate, South Bend Water Works deputy director, 235-5922
Water main flushing to begin March 26 on east side
South Bend Water Works will begin its 2007 water main flushing program at 9 p.m.
Monday, March 26, starting on South Bend's east side.
One crew will work from 9 p.m. to 7 a.m. followed by a second crew from 7 a.m. to 3
p.m. until March 30. The program will continue until April 13 from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. The
program is designed to systematically move through the water system to get the best
water quality to customers.
"We are flushing our water mains to avoid additional discolored water concerns in the
east side of our water system," said David Tungate, deputy director of South Bend Water
Works. "The water may be temporarily discolored, but it is safe to consume. Our water
exceeds the local, state and federal drinking water regulations."
Discolored water is caused by an increase in water demand, usually attributed to warmer
temperatures. There is a significant difference in the amount of water the city pumps
between the summer and winter months.
"We averaged 14 million gallons a day this winter and it is not unusual for us to pump
over 35 million gallons a day in the summer," Tungate said. "Right now we are in a
transition period between the two seasonal pumping demands."
Flushing is a standard operation and maintenance procedure for the South Bend Water
Works, which maintains more than 546 miles of water mains throughout the South Bend
area The flushing program has two goals:
• To remove unwanted iron and manganese sediment from the main.
• To verify the proper operation of fire hydrants.
Customers should limit water use and avoid doing laundry during flushing. Once the
flushing crews have moved from the immediate area, some customers may have
discolored water in their service lines. A "3 by 7" flush will clear a water service line,
which involves simultaneously opening three cold water taps for 7 minutes.
Depending on the outcome of work on the east side, the flushing program may continue.
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