2019 Water Main Cleaning Program

This year’s water main cleaning program, where crews flush water mains, will begin on Wednesday, May 15th. This is done to preserve the quality of water as it passes from our drinking water treatment plant to customer’s taps.  Crews use a uni-directional flushing technique, which involves hydrant and valve operations to direct the flow of water to “scour” the inside of the pipes, removing sediment. The cleaning program schedule has been accelerated as part of the Discoloured Water Investigation recommendations. This year the department plans to clean about 500 kilometres of water mains in north and south areas of the City.

There are detailed maps of the areas to be cleaned this year. Those maps as well as further program details are on the City’s website at winnipeg.ca/wmc.

Crews will be flushing water mains seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. until they are complete, which is expected before the end of September.  There will be additional water quality monitoring throughout the program.

Communication with customers / residents

• The department has been in discussions with sensitive users (eg. Hospitals) to coordinate cleaning activity to ensure that the program does not negatively disrupt their operations.
• The department will notify all customers of the flushing by hand delivering notices up to four days before the flushing. Single family residential homes will receive a door hanger notice. Businesses and apartment buildings will receive an envelope that includes a letter, fact sheet and poster.
• Throughout the program, the department will be updating the water main activities map, accessible via winnipeg.ca/wmc in real time so customers can find out when their street will be flushed.
• The day of the cleaning, there is personal contact with businesses and apartment block property managers who have requested the deaprtment contact them