STAR JOURNAL REPORT

Residents in the city of Rhinelander may notice changes in the color and flow of water this week. The city Water Utility will undertake inspection of CT reservoir facilities the week of Nov. 6.  All communities are required by the Department of Natural Resources to periodically drain the water treatment reservoirs to observe the interior conditions of the infrastructure. These inspection results are used to proactively identify the future improvement needs for the city system.

Department of Public Works director Tim Kingman issued an alert for residents to be aware there may be temporary changes of flow patterns within the city distribution piping system, and an increased possibility of discolored water supplies.

According to Kingman’s statement, disruption of water quality due to inspection activities is similar to that which can be experienced during seasonal flushing of the water system mains.

The city flushes hydrants each year to clean out the mineral deposits in the water distribution lines with the purpose of assuring the continued supply of a high quality drinking water. During these flushing activities normally performed in the spring, customers can experience a temporary discoloration in their water supply.

Flushing, or a change of flow patterns within the city piping system, can disrupt the mineral sediments that settle and accumulate in the distribution mains. These sediments are naturally occurring iron and manganese minerals derived from our water supply, not harmful, but can create a visual or staining concern during use.

During the CT reservoir operations there are some preventative measures that can be recommended:

• Before doing laundry or other projects that could be subjected to a result of discolored water staining, make sure the water is running clear before use.
• If discoloration is observed, additional flushing will be necessary to further flush the lines of sediment from the mains and the property service.
• If there are sensitive materials being cleaned, it is further recommended a delay of these activities be considered and time selected when any discoloration subsides.
• This discoloration could occur on multiple days depending on the location of your property, or it may not occur at all at other locations.

The scheduled CT reservoir operations can require customers contact us to provide further flushing of city piping system.  Flushing of the water systems is encouraged in the property served first.  It is recommended users run the tap water for five or ten minutes to purge their plumbing systems of sediment. Most often running water for a few minutes first from the residence served will address a desired discharge of sediment from the water distribution system.  If discolored water would persist after flushing from the property service, then the Water Utility can be contacted to more aggressively address flushing with use of the system street hydrants.

The Water Utility may be contacted at 715-365-8600 Ext. 1 for customers to report any observed discoloration and to schedule hydrant flushing to improve service conditions if needed.