Flushing household plumbing after a water service restoration
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, many water utilities are restoring water service to homes where service was previously shut off due to non-payment. Water utilities are trying to respond quickly to this urgent need and should provide instructions on how to flush household plumbing to restore water quality in the home after extended water shutoffs.
Long-term shutoffs cause water quality problems in household plumbing. Water sitting for long periods in pipes and hot water tanks grows bacteria. Stagnant water and air in unused plumbing corrode the pipe surfaces, allowing lead and other metals to dissolve and flake into the water.
The longer the shutoff, the more important each of these steps are. These steps are designed to reduce risk in older homes with lead service lines and galvanized plumbing, where shutoffs may have lasted months and sometimes years.
Flushing household plumbing after an extended shutoff uses considerable water at a time when the residents are least able to pay a large water bill. The flushing recommendations provided here cost between $11-16 to implement in Detroit, Michigan. Adequate flushing is critical to protect the health of residents in the home. Water utilities should provide a flushing credit to ensure that affected residents will implement the flushing steps without fear of their next water bill. Further, we need to consider the water quality impacts of water shutoffs as we envision a future where no one has their water shut off due to inability to pay.
