Loudoun Water On Tap: MAR/APR 2015

LOUDOUN WATER

www.loudounwater.org 44865 Loudoun Water Way Ashburn, VA 20147

ON TAP

LOUDOUN WATER UPDATE | MAR/APR 2015

PARDON OUR APPEARANCE: WE’RE FLUSHING Every Spring, Loudoun Water and other water utilities around the country begin hydrant flushing to remove sediment from the lines, monitor the system and ensure high standards of water quality.

It’s always surprising for residents to drive down the street and see some of Loudoun Water’s hydrants gushing water. This year, flushing will start the week of March 23rd and will continue for approximately 12 weeks.

There are over 9,300 hydrants that must be maintained in the Loudoun Water system. Our field crew is responsible for the hydrant flushing program and will typically flush around 25 hydrants per person per day in addition to their usual responsibilities. During each stop, a representative will open the hydrant, and take samples to measure water quality.

The flushing of hydrants around the service area will have no effect on water usage. Some of the most common questions that are heard in the call center are in regards to drinking water quality during the actual flushing itself. Often customers will ask about

the temporary milky appearance of the water – which is simply a result of air bubbles stirred up during flushing. Letting the water sit in a glass for a moment will take care of the air bubbles.

Some customers have mentioned a more pronounced chlorine taste or odor in the water during the spring time flushing. This is a result of Fairfax Water switching from chloramines to free chlorine during flushing. Free chlorine serves as an aggressive disinfectant that aids in the disinfection of the flushed water mains. Filling a pitcher with water and placing it in the refrigerator will help to alleviate the chlorine taste. After springtime flushing is complete, Fairfax Water will switch the disinfectant back to chloramines. This same holds true for Loudoun Water’s Goose Creek Water Treatment Facility. This is standard practice for many water utility systems throughout the United States.

Daily hydrant flushing locations will be posted on our Twitter account, @loudounwater as well as on our website.

IRRIGATION BACKFLOW TESTING According to federal and state regulations, to be most protective of public health, all properties with an irrigation system must be annually tested by a certified backflow tester, which can be found at loudounwater.org.

Once the backflow preventer test is complete, Loudoun Water must receive the test results within 15 days. While some testers report directly to Loudoun Water, it is ultimately the customer’s responsibility to ensure results are received on time.

Any devices failing the backflow test must be

repaired or replaced at the customer’s expense within 30 days of notification. Devices must be retested following repairs.

Customers who have previously submitted test results and are due for their annual inspection soon will be receiving a letter within the next couple of months. Customers who have never had their system tested before can find more information on our website or can call 571.291.7880.

To learn more about the importance of backflow testing, see our Q&A on page 3.

FEBRUARY COLD SNAP: THE IMPORTANCE OF PREVENTING FROZEN PIPES & METERS Loudoun Water received over 700 calls reporting frozen meters or pipes during the week of extremely cold temperatures in February. What was supposed to be a quiet Presidents’ Day weekend had turned into an allhands on deck winter weather emergency.

As soon as the first calls started to come in, staff went into action manning phone lines, placing work orders, and going out to customers’ homes to thaw and insulate frozen meters. The Customer Relations team worked around the clock to help as many customers as possible, with each home requiring 30 minutes to one hour.

We later heard from crew members, that they had never seen such a deep freeze!

This event highlights the importance of taking preventative measures to ensure meters and pipes do not freeze. Hopefully all of the blistery cold weather has passed us for now, but just in case: • Eliminate sources of cold air near pipes by closing off crawl spaces, sealing drafty windows and doors, and insulating walls and attics.

• If pipes are exposed to cold air, wrap them with insulation or even newspaper will help.

• Keep water moving through pipes by turning on the faucet farthest from your main valve to a very small, steady trickle.

• Keep pipes in cupboards and vanities warmer by opening the doors to those cupboards to let warm air in.

Thank you to all of our customers who have helped to prevent frozen pipes and meters at their homes.

WATER COLORS EXPLAINED Milky or cloudy Water carries oxygen or air in it. In the winter, water contains more oxygen or air because it is cold.

When it is delivered to your house, it warms up and releases oxygen. As the glass of water sits, the water clears from the bottom of the glass upward as the air bubbles rise and escape. All of these tiny air bubbles give the glass of water a milky appearance under natural or household lighting. Allowing the water to stand for a minute will help clear it.

Brownish or reddish-brown If your water has a brownish or rusty color, it is from iron or rust. Most of the pipes that we use to deliver the water to your house are made out of iron. Older mains can impart rust to the water. Newer mains are lined to prevent the contact of the water with the iron in the mains. Rust can be stirred up if there is a water main break, or when a valve is operated or water flow is changed. When this happens it can be temporarily unpleasant, but it is not a health concern. A rust

problem usually should be gone in a day or less. Do not wash clothes during this time because it will stain them. Once it is gone, flush your cold and hot water to avoid rust being present in your plumbing.

CROSS CONNECTION/BACKFLOW: WHY IT MATTERS What is cross connection/backflow?

Cross connection is the connection that occurs between a drinking water supply and a nondrinking water supply, which constitutes a very serious public health hazard.

Backflow is the reversal of normal flow of water or other liquids, mixtures or substances through the piping of the Loudoun Water system because of an increase in the downstream pressure to a rate that is higher than the supply pressure.

POTOMAC WATER SUPPLY PROGRAM As mentioned in the last issue of On Tap, the Potomac Water Supply Program is well underway. Updates are provided monthly on our website under the section, “Current Projects.”

Here customers can read about the latest developments as well as see photos from the construction sites. Our latest update included the video (below) which gives a great overview of the program. Click the image to watch on our YouTube channel.

Why is it so important to prevent it?

When any portion of a consumer’s water supply system is rated hazardous, the entire system receives the same rated degree of hazard.

Preventing backflow protects the water system and health for all customers.

Without proper backflow protection, fertilizers and other chemicals near your sprinkler heads could possibly end up in the water you drink. `

CALL BEFORE YOU DIG: MISS UTILITY Virginia state law requires anyone who digs in their yard to notify Virginia 811 before beginning any work. With a single call, homeowners and contractors can notify all utility companies about proposed excavation, which helps to prevent dangerous and costly situations.

To avoid damaging underground utility lines, homeowners should contact Virginia 811 at least three working days before beginning any digging project. It’s a simple step that can make construction, planting or home improvement safer while preventing utility outages that are inconvenient and potentially dangerous.

REASONS TO CALL MISS UTILITY Installation of a mailbox Planting a garden Installation of an irrigation system

SIGN UP FOR ALERT LOUDOUN Loudoun County utilizes, Alert Loudoun, a notification system that sends citizens emergency information, news releases, traffic information, weather alerts, and more.

Users can subscribe to alerts from Loudoun Water regarding weather, service updates, and more.

Simply register online and select, “Loudoun Water” under “General Announcements and Information.”

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THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT

WE SERVE

215,000 CUSTOMERS

150

SQUARE MILES SERVICE AREA

2

(Central System)

3

4

We’re working on a water banking system that will hold

1BILLION gallons of water

CUSTOMER SERVICE TEAM ANSWERS 6,000+ CALLS PER MONTH

400,000

GALLONS OF WATER are treated at our facilites

PER HOUR

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CALLING ALL GIRL SCOUTS! Loudoun County is lucky to have such an active scouting presence. That’s why Loudoun Water has teamed up with the Girl Scouts to help them achieve their goals.

Scouts are some of our favorite visitors to the Aquiary for their inquisitiveness and excitement to learn. Last year alone, we had over 100 scouts come to check out our indoor and outdoor exhibits.

That’s why we’re excited to announce that we can help girls to earn the following badges: Daisy’s Clover’s Story Petal • We’ll read Clover’s story and talk about it • We’ll come up with ways to be more resourceful • We’ll create our own Flower Friends to be put on display in our Aquiary Brownies’ Household Elf Badge (Steps 1-4) • Step 1: Girls will go on an energy scavenger hunt • Step 2: Everyone will find three ways to save water and make a family water-saving plan • Step 3: Give each girl a reusable bag and have them log how many times they use it during a month • Step 4: Then we’ll talk about how Loudoun Water recycles and how the girls can help too