ON TAP: March/April 2017

LOUDOUN WATER

ON TAP

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

MARCH/APRIL 2017

HYDRANT FLUSHING TO BEGIN SOON Everyone knows that hydrants are crucial to providing water for fire protection, but they also serve a very important role in ensuring our customers receive reliable and quality water service.

Each spring, the Loudoun Water Field Service team flush over 11,000 hydrants that are in our system. At each stop, a team member will open a hydrant and take samples to measure water quality. Each day, they will typically flush around 25 hydrants per person in addition to their usual responsibilities.

During flushing, hydrants are opened to clear sediment from the lines, give crews a chance to monitor our system and ensure high standards of water quality.

Flushing in the Loudoun Water service area will begin the week of March 28 and will continue for about 12 weeks. The flushing of hydrants around the service area will have no effect on water usage.

Follow us on Twitter @loudounwater or check back frequently to see our hydrant flushing map to know when we’ll be in your area.

Go to page to to read over some of the frequently asked questions regarding hydrant flushing.

VISIT OUR TRAILS Take advantage of our trails open to the public at our Ashburn facility while the weather is beautiful! The trails are open everyday from dawn until dusk.

HYDRANT FLUSHING FAQS What’s that taste?

During Spring flushing, some customers may notice a more pronounced chlorine taste or odor in the water. Fairfax Water (our wholesale water provider) temporarily switch from chloramines to free chlorine during each spring. Loudoun Water also switches from chloramines to free chlorine during each spring. 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 and Loudoun Water will switch the disinfectant back to chloramines. This is standard practice for many water utility systems throughout the United States.

Why does water have a 'milky' or 'bubbly' appearance during flushing?

This is simply a result of the oxygen in the water being stirred up during flushing causing visible air bubbles. Letting the water sit in a glass for a few seconds will take care of the air bubbles! With this phenomenon you will see the bubbles clear from bottom to top.

Why is my water discolored?

Flushing may result in temporary discoloration and the presence of sediment in your water. These conditions are not harmful and should be of very

short duration. If noticed, avoid doing laundry during this time (while crews are on your street) to avoid discoloration. If water remains discolored or cloudy for an extended timeframe contact Loudoun Water Customer Relations at 571-2917880.

Every year, unwanted or expired medications are flushed down the toilet or thrown away, which can cause problems like water pollution and accidential ingestion in our communities. Flushing unused medications seemed like a safe way to dispose prescriptions in order to keep them out of the wrong hands, but these compounds are finding their way into our waterways.

Will my water pressure be affected?

Some customers may notice a slight pressure fluctuation when our crews are working on their street. Pressures will return to normal once the flushing has finished.

Most medicines are not completely removed by wastewater treatment processes or septic systems.

Are my fish safe during the disinfectant switch?

You will need to treat tap water before using it in a fish aquarium. Disinfectants can harm fish.

Check with a local pet store to learn what types of chemicals you need to add to the tank to neutralize the effects of the disinfectant.

Why isn't the water captured or reused?

There are a lot of variables that make the process of capturing, collecting and transporting the water difficult. The amount of pressure released when hydrants are flushed makes it very difficult to recapture.

Who pays for this water?

The cost of hydrant flushing is built into the normal cost of operations.

HAVE YOU SIGNED UP FOR LW CONNECT? LW Connect makes it easy to view your bill online, enroll in Auto Debit, sign up for eBilling, see your payment history and more! Go to www.loudounwater.org and click on the LW Connect logo to get started.

Have a question? Call our Customer Relations team for more information at 571-291-7880, Monday through Friday between 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

DEA’S NATIONAL PRESCRIPTION DRUG TAKE-BACK DAY

To help combat this problem, the Drug Enforcement Administration is sponsoring National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on Saturday, April 29th from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. This serves as a safe, convenient and responsible way of disposing presecription drugs.

There are many participating locations around the region that are collecting unused or expired prescriptions. For more information find a collection site near you.

APRIL IS NATIONAL SAFE DIGGING MONTH Did you know that every six minutes, an underground utility line is damaged because someone decided to dig without first calling 811? Damaging utilities is both costly and dangerous.

Loudoun Water urges customers to call Miss Utility, a free one-call notification center, before digging on their property. If you plan on any type of excavation or digging, make a request by visiting the Miss Utility website or by calling 811 or 1-800-552-7001.

Examples of work include: Landscaping Digging holes for fence posts or mail boxes Anchoring supports for decks or swings Removing tree roots Installing a retaining wall Virginia law requires utilities or their contract locators to mark the approximate horizontal location of their underground utilities within 48 hours beginning the next business day after you call 811. So if you are planning to do any work in your yard on Saturday, call 811 no later than Tuesday so that your utilities can be properly marked.

OUT AND ABOUT

CURRENT PROJECTS

There is always something going on at Loudoun Water, which is why we have a current projects map that shows you. In addition to our map, you can find detailed explanations of each project on our website.

For Earth Day, Loudoun Water will be attending several events in the community including: Live Well Loudoun Festival, Willowsford Community Festival and HeronFest.

Would you like Loudoun Water to attend your community event? Email us at aquiary@loudounwater.org with your event’s details.

STAY CONNECTED Follow Loudoun Water online for water conservation tips, important service updates and more. Click on the icons below to check out our pages and stay connected:

#loudounwater

UPCOMING EVENTS March 9, 2017 Loudoun Water Board Meeting March 22, 2017 World Water Day April 13, 2017 Loudoun Water Board Meeting April 22, 2017 Earth Day April 29, 2017 DEA National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day