Water main flushing is a common maintenance practice for water utilities, conducted to maintain clean drinking water and protect the significant public investment in water infrastructure.
Flushing is one of the many activities the City uses to maintain its high standard of drinking water, including rigorous testing and monitoring, proactive maintenance and innovative problem solving.
The water main flushing program takes place from the fall to the spring.
Fixing Cloudy Tap Water
Flushing involves moving large volumes of water through distribution pipes to clean out sediment and mineral buildup.
This work may cause changes in water pressure and discolouration or sediment in the tap water for a short time.
The water is still safe to drink, but you can clear up cloudy water by running the cold-water tap, ideally in the bathtub to avoid clogging up faucet screens. Turn the cold water on for a few minutes until it runs clear, and if it is still cloudy, try again in half an hour. Do not run the hot water until the cold water has cleared to prevent adding cloudy water to your hot water tank.