Water mains '˜flushing' to begin soon

The programme to clean water mains will begin on Monday, April 24, as part of ongoing maintenance on the company’s underground mains.

The process, known as flushing, involves directing water through the pipes quickly to draw sediment deposits – such as iron and manganese – out of the network.

While these naturally-occurring deposits are not harmful, they can cause temporary discoloured water.

South East Water’s Distribution Manager Tony Hillocks said: “Flushing our water mains from the start to finish of our network – from our service reservoirs, which store fully treated drinking water, to the point at which it supplies our customers – is a very effective way of cleaning the inside of our water mains.

“Once the water reaches its journey’s end, the flushed water containing these deposits is directed into the drains to be recycled.

“We appreciate customers may have concerns about this water appearing to run to waste, but we only draw through our pipes as much as we need, and stop flushing once we can see the whole system is running crystal clear as usual.

“During the flushing process, customers may notice a reduction in water pressure, and possibly some discolouration, but this is temporary and can be solved by running the kitchen tap until the water runs clear.”

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