Fredericksburg Leader

County of Stafford issued the following announcement on Feb. 4

Stafford’s Department of Utilities continues to maintain excellence, completing its 2021 Uni-Directional Flushing (UDF) program a month ahead of schedule in December 2021. The project accomplished the largest area to be uni-directionally flushed to date. Water main flushing is an effective method to remove sediment deposits that can cause unwanted taste, odor or discolorations of the water and is very important to maintaining the water distribution system.

“It’s a testament to the work ethic of our staff that we finished this project a month early,” said Stafford Department of Utilities Director Chris Edwards. “We are all dedicated to providing the highest quality of water possible.”

There are eight different pressure zones in Stafford’s water system. Only one to two zones can be flushed per year. A uni-directional flush uses existing valves to direct the flow of water in one direction, which helps to increase the velocity of water, allowing any biofilms, sediments, or minerals collected in the water mains to be washed out. Uni-directional flushing is the most effective way of cleaning our distribution system and is an excellent supplement to the annual flushing program. The next uni-directional flush is scheduled in the latter half of 2022.

In conjunction with the UDF program, the Stafford Department of Utilities will resume its annual flushing program in the Spring of 2022, which will flush and inspect every hydrant in the Stafford County water system. During this flushing period, a slight change is made in the water treatment process to facilitate effective flushing by converting the primary disinfectant to free chlorine.  The process helps to maintain the health of the water distribution system, allowing the Department to deliver the highest quality water possible to our customers and ensuring that adequate water flow is available to firefighters, residents and businesses.

For additional information about this program or to view a map of flushing schedules, please visit: www.staffordcoutyva.gov/flushing

Original source can be found here.