Spring Hydrant Flushing

 from the Town of Upton

The Upton Department of Public Works Water & Wastewater Division will be flushing water mains throughout the Town beginning Monday, May 6th through Friday, June 7th.  The purpose of flushing is to remove sediment buildup in the mains and to verify the safe operation of hydrants and valves.  The flushing may result in temporary discoloration of the water, caused by small particles dislodged during the flushing.

Discoloration of the water will be temporary and is not harmful.  However, the discolored water might stain your laundry (especially white or light colored materials).  Therefore, please avoid doing laundry during the noted flushing period and certainly while such conditions exist.

Prior to washing clothes, please check the cold water for possible discoloration.  If the water is discolored, let it run for a few minutes until the water runs clear.  If it does not show any sign of clearing, please wait a few hours and try again.  Running the cold water first avoids introducing discoloration into hot water heaters.  Once the cold water runs clear, check the hot water for signs of discoloration.  Unfortunately, the Town cannot guarantee that discoloration will not occur since the water system has been necessarily disturbed.  Therefore, please check your water carefully prior to doing laundry and inspect the laundry before it is dried.

Hydrant flushing is normally performed Monday – Friday between the hours of 7:00 AM and 3:30 PM; however, the effects of the flushing may be seen at other times as disturbed water moves through the system.

Again, despite occasional discoloration, the water meets all Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection regulations and is safe to drink; however, residents with elderly or very young members in their households may feel more comfortable using bottled drinking water.

The Upton Water and Wastewater Division greatly appreciate your patience as we work to improve the quality of the drinking water and reliability of the Town’s fire protection system.  If you would like additional information, please contact us at (508) 529-3993.

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