This week is the start of annual flushing of the hydrants in Southborough.
It doesn’t begin until a week from Monday. But since some of you may be headed for greener pastures over the long school break that starts tomorrow. So, I’m sharing the news now.
The work will take place from April 25th through about May 6. The Dept. of Public Works has posted a rough map of the schedule. It just notes the order in which sections of Town will be tackled over the two weeks.
When Public Works flushes hydrants in your neck of the woods, you may experience a drop in water pressure and/or notice discolored tap water.
In a previous year, DPW Superintendent Karen Galligan explained that running hot water might pull sediment into your hot water tank. That’s why to avoid it. You should also avoid doing laundry because it can stain your clothes.
Here’s what residents should do if water is discolored:
The discoloration of the water is only temporary and does not indicate a problem with the water.
If your water does become discolored run your COLD WATER ONLY for a period of time and it should clear up.
A faucet or spigot closest to your meter is the best choice.
High flow faucets such as an outside spigot or a bath tub faucet are also good choices.
Details from a past year also included the following details:
The water should run clear in 10-20 minutes, unless your service is very long, then it may take longer.
If you have aerators on your faucets you might want to rinse them out in case the screen caught any debris. If your hot water is discolored, it means that you pulled the sediment into the water tank. You should flush out your service with the cold water faucets and then, when you are sure you have purged the pipes in your home and everything is running clear, you should run your hot water and try to clear that up.
Although not stated in this year’s announcement, flushing usually occurs on weekdays between 8:00 am – 2:30/3:00 pm.
The announcement apologizes for inconvenience but notes the flushing is an important maintenance step. If you have any questions or concerns, call the DPW at 508-485-1210.
