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City of White Rock advises businesses to flush out water before re-opening

Buildings could have stagnant water in pipes after months of limited use
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The City of White Rock is advising businesses to flush its water systems before re-opening. (Kim Sievers/Wikimedia Commons photo)

The City of White Rock has released water-safety recommendations for businesses that are set to re-open after being closed for weeks due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The flushing recommendations – posted to the city’s website Monday morning – aim to help businesses keep their water quality at safe levels.

“When buildings are closed or on low occupancy for any prolonged period, water in the building becomes stagnant,” the notice reads.

“It is the responsibility of each property owner to ensure it maintains the safety of that water within their building.”

The city provided a fact sheet, courtesy of the Canadian Water and Wastewater Association, to aid soon-to-open businesses.

• READ ALSO: White Rock water testing well within Health Canada guidelines

Recommendations include: develop a basic flushing plan, by mapping out the building’s entire system – including pumps, tanks, valves and more – and consider areas where cross-contamination or stagnation due to potential pressure may occur; keep a detailed log of maintenance and other tests; and regularly flush all outlets to replace stagnant water with fresher, treated water.

“Rigorous” cleaning of fixtures, taps and fountains is also recommended. Wastewater systems that haven’t been used for some time also need to be flushed out to “ensure solids and sediment are washed away.”



editorial@peacearchnews.com

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