Water main flushing

Keeping your water clean and safe

Have you ever seen water flowing from a fire hydrant when there’s no fire? You are probably seeing water main flushing - a routine maintenance process that helps keep your drinking water clean and safe.

Two EPCOR water utility workers inspecting a maintenance site

We flush water mains:

As part of regular maintenance: Over time, natural minerals and sediment can build up inside water pipes. Flushing helps clear out these materials. From May through September, our crews work around the clock to clean water mains to maintain water quality.
After repairs: If we’ve repaired a water main break or completed work on the water system, we flush and then test the water to make sure it is safe.

What to expect during water flushing in your neighbourhood

EPCOR crew and signage: We’ll have a crew and equipment in the area, along with signage to indicate that water flushing is taking place.
Water flowing from a hydrant: Water will be flowing onto the street and into a nearby storm drain while being managed by our crew. We ask that you please stay clear for your safety.
A quick process: Each hydrant takes about 15-60 minutes to flush. As you might experience lower water pressure during this work, we try to avoid flushing between 5:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. when you and your neighbours are most likely using water for preparing meals, laundry, etc.

Throughout flushing, your water will be maintained and still safe to drink.

Water main flushing is just one of the many ways we care for our water system. It’s all part of our commitment to keeping your water clean, safe, and reliable.

Check flushing status

Check our water outage map to see if flushing is happening in your area and when it’s expected to be completed.

Cloudy water and low pressure

If you notice cloudy water or low water pressure and don’t see any work listed on the map, call us 24/7 at 780-412-4500. You can also troubleshoot for low water pressure in your home.

FAQs

We close valves and open hydrants in a way that sends water through the water mains in one direction at high speed. We flush from the largest mains to smallest mains and save the ones that require the most cleaning for the end. This helps to maintain the cleanest pipes possible.

Although fire hydrants are primarily used for firefighting, they are connected to our water system and give us access to the water mains. By opening them, we can release water at high pressure to help clear out sediment and maintain the system.

The flushed water is dechlorinated as it leaves the fire hydrant. Then it flows through the stormwater system and eventually returns to the North Saskatchewan River. In some cases, it flows to the Gold Bar Wastewater Treatment Plant and is treated before being released.

Your water service will be maintained and is still safe to drink.

We use a method that moves water quickly through the pipes in one direction. This helps clean the system more thoroughly and reduces pressure changes. While flushing is underway, you might notice cloudy or discoloured water and lower water pressure. These changes are temporary and will clear up shortly after the work is finished.

We suggest that you avoid using hot water, dishwashers, or doing laundry until flushing is complete. Once complete, run your bathtub's cold water tap for a few minutes until the water clears.

No. You're only billed for water that enters your service line and passes through your water meter.

No. While you will see a large volume of water flowing from the fire hydrant, our crews carefully manage the flow to ensure it drains safely into the storm system without pooling or flooding the streets.

A strong flow of water is required during flushing, so using it for watering trees and plants could erode the soil around the greenery and shift sediment, which can negatively impact the plants and soil.