As I warned a couple of weeks ago, today is the start of annual flushing of the hydrants in Southborough. 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. (You can view the general areas in the image right. Click here for a pdf identifying where streets are on the map.)
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 advised against running hot water when that happens – it could pull sediment into your hot water tank. You should also avoid doing laundry, since 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.
Trying to figure out when I can do laundry here in Area 2…
https://www.southboroughtown.com/public-works-dpw/news/hydrant-flushing-begins-april-25-2022 gives this: “Areas are done in order and each Area can take 1-2 days to complete.”
So… This is not a schedule, really, just a starting date. After that, you’ll have to look out your windows and try your tap. No flushing yet in my neighborhood.
You can check in with the DPW to see if they have an update on your area.
Yes, that’s true. To be clear: I hoped for better from the DPW. You can only report their plans to the degree they have them.
Maybe a couple hundred phone calls would get better plans made next year!