Today I noticed District employees running lots of water from fire hydrants and
wasting it. Is this necessary?

Hydrant flushing is a necessary task for water quality maintenance for all water systems. Flushing the water lines systematically through hydrants removes excess accumulation of naturally occurring sediments in the water lines, and keeps your water fresh and clear.

There were crews repairing a water main break yesterday in my area, and now have discolored and foamy water. Is this safe to use?

Yes, the water is still safe, although you may want to strain the water through several layers of coffee filters for appearance, and avoid doing laundry until the water settles and moves through the system. When a water line breaks, there is a sudden and
dramatic increase in water flow. This “stirs up” sediment that then settles to bottom of the water line when the water stops flowing while the line is shut down for the repairs. After repairs, the lines are flushed to remove as much sediment as possible before the line comes back into service, but the water may still have a faint rusty color from the remaining suspended particles or a foamy or “milky” look from excess air which was trapped in the water main after it was repaired and sealed.

It has been a few days since the water main break and the water still looks odd, should I call the District?

Yes, please let us know if it hasn’t cleared after a day or two. We can usually clear up the situation through flushing fire hydrants and your service line if the problem persists.