Water Main Flushing In Courtenay Starts March 6

Courtenay residents should be aware that crews will begin flushing water mains in  western and southern parts of the city next week.

The area to be flushed falls between 11th Street, the Courtenay Riverway waterfront, and the Rotary Trail railway corridor, and extends south to Courtenay’s southern boundary to Monaltrie Drive including “The Ridge.”

Flushing is planned on weekdays between 7:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., beginning Monday and running through to March 24th.

During flushing hours, households and commercial properties in the area may experience temporary, short-term water pressure fluctuations, along with cloudy water or discolouration.

While flushing will occur over a large area during this time period, water to individual properties should only be affected for a limited time, typically less than an hour.

Activities such as laundry and dishwashing should be scheduled outside of flushing hours. To clear discoloured water, run cold water taps.

Uni-directional flushing (UDF) involves the strategic use of valves and hydrants to isolate sections of water mains. Through this method, crews are able to achieve higher water velocity, which in turn increases effectiveness and reduces water use by 40 per cent compared to conventional flushing methods.

UDF also enhances overall water quality within the water distribution system, and improves system operations by reducing turbidity, removing sediment, silt and biofilms, lowering chlorine demand, increasing system hydraulic capacity, and lengthening the life of system components.

To learn more about the City’s UDF program, visit City of Courtenay.