TUD’s Annual Water Line Flushing Underway

TUD photo

SONORA, CA: Tuolumne Utilities District (TUD) wants to alert the public that they may see water running down the street or sidewalk in neighborhoods as its annual flushing program is underway in Tuolumne County.

During the flushing process, which is expected to last until April, crews will be flushing water lines in various locations throughout the county between the hours of 7 a.m. and 3 p.m. District spokesperson Emily Long advises, “During this process, you will be able to see crews flushing the water mains through fire hydrants and ends of water main pipes commonly called blow-offs. Crews aim to direct the water being flushed into appropriate areas to avoid sediment erosion or localized pooling of water, but you may notice water on the street or roadway.”

Long also noted that hydrant flushing is a routine preventative maintenance procedure that releases water from a fire hydrant at a high velocity, allowing it to move through sections of the drinking water distribution system. She added that naturally occurring iron or manganese deposits in the distribution system may affect the color of the water. Click here for more information regarding TUD’s flushing program.