The water systems in Youbou, Honeymoon Bay, Mesachie Lake and Bald Mountain will be flushed during the week of March 8-12.
Brian Dennison, manager of waste management at the Cowichan Valley Regional District, said the district conducts flushing of its water systems twice a year, as all jurisdictions are mandated to do.
He said, even with chlorine and other treatments, organic and mineral materials still accumulate in water pipes.
“Even if you put totally fresh water in a closed jar on a shelf, residue will build up in it over time,” he said.
“Surface water leaves organic material in the pipes, while groundwater will build up minerals. We strip those materials out because we don’t want bacteria to grow in the cubby holes on the pipes. Our frequent tests of our water systems have always come back clean, but we still run them anyway.”
Dennison said the CVRD workers use fire hydrants to flush the pipes because the high velocity of the water coming from the hydrants is effective in clearing the pipes of materials.
He said residents may experience some air in the lines and discolouration of the water supply during water flushing, but it’s still safe to drink.
“Should this occur, running a cold water tap for a short period of time will help restore the water quality back to normal. Should the problem persist, call the CVRD’s engineering services department at 250-746-2530.”
