LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) has completed flushing pipes in the Watts and Green Meadows neighborhoods to clear sediment and prevent cloudy water. Work is continuing in an adjacent area to ensure all pipes in the area served by the same well have been thoroughly flushed and cleared. LADWP anticipates that flushing will continue through June 11, 2016 in the adjacent area, generally bordered by East 103rd Street and the 105 Freeway to the north and south, and from Compton Avenue to the 110 Freeway to the east and west.
A total of 231,600 feet or nearly 44 miles of pipe in the area have been flushed by LADWP crews in Watts, Green Meadows and the adjacent area served by the 99th Street Well Treatment Facility. The treatment facility has been shut down since May 16 while LADWP crews conduct a full cleaning and flushing of the onsite treatment system, which treats water from wells in the surrounding area for distribution to LADWP customers.
The area scheduled for flushing early next week includes water mains serving the Nickerson Garden Housing Complex. LADWP has coordinated notification of residents with the City’s Housing Authority. In addition, LADWP staff is continuing to notify customers, including residents, schools, churches and businesses, in advance of the flushing in their neighborhood either through door hangers, signage, or personal contact. During the flushing operation, customers’ water service will not be interrupted, but there may be less water pressure. The flow of water to homes and businesses will be redirected so that pipes can be isolated for flushing. During this time, customers’ water may be murky or appear dirty for a few hours. This is a temporary condition and not a health risk.
When the flushing work is done in an area, customers should run their taps for a couple of minutes until the water is clear. While LADWP urges customers to continue being mindful of the water shortage and to try to avoid wasting water, it is necessary to run the taps for a very short time to clear out the remaining cloudy and discolored water that develops as part of the pipe flushing process. The flushing program should improve the quality and reliability of water we provide to customers’ homes and businesses. However, it will not correct private plumbing or corrosion problems.
LADWP began flushing pipes on May 11 in response to an increased number of reports of discolored and cloudy water in the Watts and Green Meadows communities.
Following are additional steps LADWP is taking to improve water quality in this area of the city and to keep customers informed of the ongoing flushing process and increased water quality testing.
- LADWP will continue posting updates, results of water quality tests, and a map of the flushing location atwww.ladwp.com/waterquality.
- In addition to distributing door hangers in areas where crews are flushing pipes, LADWP sent an email to customers in the area explaining the flushing process. Staff will also continue walking neighborhoods to alert larger customers, such as churches and businesses, who may not see a door hanger.
- While the 99th Street Well Treatment Facility is undergoing flushing, area residents are receiving water from other sources within LADWP’s distribution system, including water from the Metropolitan Water District/State Water Project and the Easter Sierra Watershed through the LA Aqueduct.
- LADWP increased the frequency of water testing in the Watts/Green Meadows area from weekly to daily on May 11. Water quality staff collects daily samples and tests for bacteria, color, turbidity and metals. To date, all test results of water supplied to customers has met state and federal drinking water standards however; any water provided to customers that is discolored or cloudy is a concern to LADWP and is the reason for the flushing operation it is undertaking.
- LADWP has tested the water at nine area schools. All tests indicate that the water meets health and safety standards. To further prevent cloudy water at area schools, LADWP will only flush pipes near schools on weekends where possible.
- LADWP Water Quality Hotline staff has received 37 discolored water complaints from the Watts/Green Meadows area since flushing operations began on May 11.
LADWP takes water quality very seriously, and the safety and reliability of water remains our highest priority. LADWP conducts an average of 30,000 water samples throughout the city and performs over 150,000 water quality tests for compliance, research and operational improvements each year to deliver the highest quality tap water possible. When discoloration occurs it is often an indication of aged residential or private property plumbing. It can also be caused by excessively high water flows, such as occurs during a major fire or as a result of a knocked over fire hydrants, which disturb natural sediment that builds up over time. Even though this water is safe to drink, discolored or cloudy water in our pipe system is unacceptable and we are taking action to correct it.
If you experience cloudy water, please contact our Water Quality Hotline at 213-367-3182 or email waterqualityoffice@ladwp.com.
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