Coliban Water is carrying out water mains cleaning in Castlemaine this week, which will require customers to turn off their stop taps.
Coliban Water’s executive general manager of service delivery, Danny McLean, said the water mains cleaning works, which begin tomorrow, were part of an ongoing maintenance program.
“Our water mains cleaning program is important to ensure the continued delivery of safe drinking water that meets the requirements of the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines,” Mr McLean said.
“The program is an incredibly important investment in our water network, which not only protects the integrity of these assets, but ensures we continue providing high-quality drinking water.”
Several different techniques can be used to clean water mains, and the technique that is selected for use is chosen based on both the condition of the mains and minimising disruption to customers.
A technique called ‘air scouring’ is being used, which involves forcing a mixture of compressed air and water into the mains via one hydrant and out through another hydrant.
Due to the historic nature of Castlemaine’s water network it is important that customers turn off their stop tap before the cleaning, otherwise the dislodged sediment in the network may cause discolouration of the water coming out of household taps.
“There will be some interruptions to the water supply. Customers will have been notified one to two weeks before the cleaning with a specific date and time when their supply will be interrupted,” Mr McLean said.
“All properties have a stop tap, which is connected to your water meter. A stop tap is used to control the water supply to a property, and we’re asking customers to turn theirs off while the work is being completed in their street.
“Where possible, we have taken into consideration the types of businesses that may be affected and scheduled works overnight, whereas most customers will be without water for a few hours on one day.”
