Each spring the Garden City Water Department opens and flows (flushes) hydrants. This maintenance begins Monday, April 17 and will run through Tuesday, May 9. Flyers that specify when flushing will take place in your neighborhood are being hand delivered to residents by Water Department personnel. This biannual maintenance program is essential to the operation. We receive many questions about this program and why it needs to be done. This is an important benefit to you, our residents, and we’d like to share with you what it entails and how it benefits you. Flushing water mains is a way for us to clean out a build-up of dissolved minerals inside our mains. This build-up is caused by reduced water demands during the winter months. These deposits settle to the bottom of the mains and must be cleaned out so that they don’t cause discolored water in the future.
The flushing is done between the hours of 11:30 p.m. and 7:30 a.m. in order to keep the disturbance to your water service to a minimum during normal water usage time. While flushing is occurring in your area, you may have some slight fluctuations in water pressure and temporary water discoloration. Here are some recommendations you can follow during flushing dates in your neighborhood:
• Draw water for cooking ahead of time
• Store bottles of water for drinking
• Be sure to check the water quality before using your washing machine or dishwasher
Mark your calendars now to be prepared when we begin flushing the water mains in your neighborhood. Any questions, please contact the Water Department at (516) 465-4020.