The Town of BWG’s Water Division does preventative maintenance throughout the year on our water distribution system.
Every spring and fall, the Town of BWG conducts watermain flushing, which is when we run water at every hydrant to ensure a clean and fresh water supply. The spring program will begin in a few weeks, and updates on Facebook will let you know which neighbourhoods we are working in.
Sometimes hydrant flushing creates a bit of discoloured tap water at residences in the neighbourhood of the work. If this happens to you, just run the tap in your bathtub for a few minutes. Yellow water or brown scaling in water in BWG is a result of naturally occurring levels of iron found within the Town's groundwater supply, but it’s usually only during the flushing process that it is noticeable.
Water system maintenance could also result in cloudy water. Cloudy water is a result of air captured (also known as entrained air) in the water, which creates tiny bubbles. These bubbles are harmless and will disappear if you let the water sit for a few minutes.
BWG also conducts an annual watermain swabbing program to clean the watermains. Swabbing is when large foam swabs are pushed into a hydrant, and water pressure sends them down the watermain through a second hydrant. This is an effective way of improving water quality and increasing the reliability of the water distribution system. Because of the pressure caused, Town staff hand-deliver notices to residents in affected areas in advance, asking you not to use your plumbing or water softener during the work periods.
