South East Water to flush through water pipes in Sidley

Work will soon be carried out to clean water mains in Sidley to safeguard the quality of drinking water.

South East Water will carry out the programme from the week starting Monday March 6 as part of ongoing maintenance on the company’s underground mains.

The process, known as flushing, involves directing water through the pipes quickly to draw sediment deposits – such as iron and manganese – out of the network. This is to remove naturally-occurring, harmless deposits which build up over time.

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While these naturally-occurring deposits are not harmful, they can cause temporary discoloured water.

South East Water’s distribution manager Michael Phillips said: “Flushing our water mains from the start to finish of our network – from our service reservoirs, which store fully treated drinking water, to the point at which it supplies our customers – is a very effective way of cleaning the inside of our water mains.

“Once the water reaches its journey’s end, the flushed water containing these deposits is directed into the drains to be recycled.”

During the flushing process customers may notice a reduction in water pressure, and possible discolouration, but this is temporary and can be solved by running the kitchen tap until the water runs clear.

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