Fall Hydrant Flushing Begins Sept. 8
Fall flushing of fire hydrants is scheduled to begin Sept. 8 in the City of Stratford, and will continue for several weeks.
This is something that the City does twice a year, typically in the spring and the fall, to remove iron that may have settled in the watermains, and as preventative maintenance on fire hydrants.
You may experience some discoloured water as a result of this work, but water quality is not affected.
Discoloured water will clear, but it’s best to check before doing laundry.
So what’s the best way to clear discoloured water?
- Run your cold water for 10-15 minutes until it clears. If possible, choose the tap closest to where the water service enters the house.
- If water doesn’t clear after 15 minutes, turn off the tap and wait 30 minutes.
- Repeat steps 1 and 2 until the water runs clear.
Please note that the hydrant flushing schedule is not fixed. It changes every day depending on a number of factors, including the weather, availability of staff and the length of time it takes to clear the hydrants in a neighbourhood. For that reason, we are not able to post a flushing schedule in advance.
Other factors besides hydrant flushing may also contribute to discoloured water, including things like construction or a watermain break.
If you have any questions or concerns, please call the City's Water Division at 519-271-0250 extension 222 during business hours.
More information is also available on our website at https://www.stratford.ca/discoloured
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