Stafford County residents may notice something funny about their water over the next few months.
Through the end of May 2022, Stafford County will perform a system-wide flush to ensure a high level of disinfection of all county water mains.
According to a county government spokesman, the county’s utility department will take extra steps to maintain the more than 700 miles of water mains in the county’s distribution system through a deep cleaning process called “free chlorination.”
Stafford County will temporarily distribute “free chlorine” in place of combined chlorines throughout the water distribution system during this process. The free chlorination process helps remove any bacteria inside the distribution system and prevents bacteria from forming a resistance to the routine disinfection treatment process, the county says.
The free chlorination process does not adversely affect the water quality, but some people may notice a slight change in the taste and smell of their tap water. The chlorine, along with any taste or smell, will naturally dissipate if water is stored in an open pitcher in a refrigerator. The county adds that the flushing process may affect owners/operators of fish tanks, laundromats, and other water-dependent operations.
When crews are flushing in your neighborhood, residents may notice an open fire hydrant. Opening fire hydrants helps draw the chlorine through the distribution system. The flushing also allows any sediments or minerals collected in the water mains to be washed out.
