Beach Haven Water Department to conduct annual hydrant flushing

The Beach Haven Water Department will be flushing the town’s water distribution system during the week of Monday, April 7. Residents may notice lower water pressure and temporary discoloration during the process. The procedure will conclude on Friday, April 11.

Photo by Jack Reynolds
Residents are reminded that low water pressure
is expected during the hydrant flushing process.

The borough’s hydrants are flushed twice a year, in the spring and fall, as required by the state Department of Environmental Protection. The water-flushing process is conducted to help clear the water mains of any iron build-up, which is a very common occurrence in older systems that have ductile iron water mains, explained John Booth, acting superintendent of the Beach Haven Water Department.

The local division received a higher than normal volume of calls during the winter months when many residents expressed concern for brown-tinged water. To help combat the issue, officials opened individual household meters and flushed street hydrants in a number of areas where residences in a common geographical area were experiencing the problem. The discoloration was considered to be a result from Superstorm Sandy, caused by a decrease in water usage. The town’s daily water use is down from 250,000 gallons a day to between 75,000 and 125,000 gallons a day.

“With such a drop in water usage, the water is likely to build up iron more quickly without a more constant flow,” said Booth.

— Kelley Anne Essinger


This article was published in The SandPaper.