The final phase of a four-year, $1.2 million water pipe program will start on Rogers Avenue and vicinity.
WEST SPRINGFIELD – The Department of Public Works will begin the final phase of its four-year, $1.2 million water pipe improvement program with the start of unidirectional water pipe flushing Monday in the Rogers Avenue neighborhood.
Mayor Edward J. Gibson said Friday that residents may notice some discoloration of water, but the inconvenience should be minimal. Department of Public Works Director Jack L. Dowd said it is not unsafe to drink the water, but residents may want to wait until it clears.
The flushing will take place in 16 zones, with the entire flushing operation to take about six months. The work will be done by Wachs Utility Service of Lincolnshire, Ill.
The flushing of the city’s approximately 116 miles of water pipes is to improve water pressure and quality. Unidirectional flushing is different from the usual clearing of water lines in that it is a concerted program of flushing in one direction from the source to increase velocity of the water.
The water pipe improvement involved inspecting all water pipes with repairs made as needed. All fire hydrants were inspected and repaired if needed, with some being replaced with new units. The entire water system was mapped using the Geographic Information System along with the flushing program to promote maximum cleaning of the system.
The program has also provided information that has enabled the city to replace any missing components and eliminate any duplications of service. That information allowed the city to develop plans for future cleaning and inspection.
The program was developed to comply with a consent order issued by the state Department of Environmental Protection on March 2, 2006.
Some of the city’s water pipes date to the 1800s. The state mandated the program because the town did not have an organized system for flushing pipes to rid them of rust and debris.