The North Reading Water Department will be conducting hydrant flow tests on the evening of October 3, 2007, beginning at 10:00 p.m. and lasting until approximately 3:00 a.m. on the morning of October 4, 2007. The hydrant flow tests are being conducted in conjunction with the ISO (Insurance Services Office) in order to determine the capacity of the Town’s water system to supply water in the event of a fire.
The flow tests involve measuring the water pressure in the water system while flowing a large volume of water from fire hydrants. The tests will be conducted at several locations across the Town on that evening.
Discolored Water
The flow tests will likely cause some discoloration of the water in the area of the tests. The high flow rates cause the fine iron and manganese sediment in the water mains to become suspended. Iron and manganese are naturally occurring minerals found in the soils near the Town’s water supply wells. As precipitation passes down thought these soils, iron and manganese dissolve into the water. While the Water Department treats the well water specifically to remove iron and manganese, trace amounts of these minerals remain in the water leaving our water treatment plants. This remaining dissolved iron and manganese combine with oxygen in the water to form fine particles that settle out of the water in the water distribution system.
Iron and manganese do not present health risks, but can cause a number of aesthetic problems, such as discolored water and staining of plumbing fixtures or laundry. The fine particles of iron and manganese in the water mains can easily become re-suspended whenever there is a change in flow in the water system, such as during a fire or other periods of high water usage.
The tests are being conducted at night in order to minimize the problems associated with this discolored water, but the color may persist into the morning of the 4th. Residents experiencing problems with discolored water following the tests are asked to contact the Department of Public Works at (978) 664-6060.
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