Water main flushing
Have you ever seen water flowing from a fire hydrant, but not a fire in sight? You were probably watching a water main being cleaned using a flushing process. Water main flushing is widely used by municipalities to effectively clean pipes, water mains and water distribution systems to deliver safe drinking water to customers.
When water main flushing typically occurs
Water main flushing can be planned as part of regular system maintenance, or when we drain or commission existing water mains. It can also be unplanned, such as after water main breaks, infrastructure damage or infrastructure failure.
For planned work, EPCOR crews work during the summer from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
How to know if water main flushing is occurring in your neighbourhood
- If you see an EPCOR vehicle and/or water flowing from a hydrant
- You may experience temporary low water pressure or cloudy water while we are flushing fire hydrants near you
If you experience sudden low water pressure that isn't due to water main flushing, you can follow our guide to troubleshoot for low water pressure in your home.
Important: Don't use any type of liquid lawn products that attach directly to your hose when your area is receiving UDF service. Due to the water pressure change, anything attached to your hose could be sucked into it and will end up in your water main, potentially contaminating your and your neighbours' water supply. You can learn more about this hazard on our preventing backflow page.