The gist
Since 2012, League City has performed a Unidirectional Overnight Flushing Project annually to improve the city’s water quality, Public Works Manager Tommy Arredondo said.
Unidirectional flushing is a process of cleaning water mains in a water distribution system by flowing water in one direction through them, according to a news release from the city. The primary purpose is to improve the water quality within the distribution system, according to the release. It is widely considered to be more effective than conventional flushing in removing sediments and uses less water.
During the project, residents could experience less water pressure or discoloration in their tap water, Arredondo said.
Public works crews will address areas in Countryside North & South, Countryside Oaks, and Rustic Oaks neighborhoods, according the release. The flushing is usually performed overnight due to the low water demand during these hours.
When deciding which of the city’s pipes to clean out, public works teams focus on older areas where buildup is more likely to be found, Arredondo said.
“We focus on older asbestos-cement pipes...the age of the infrastructure...and we kind of correlate the water quality complaints in the area for that subdivision,” Arredondo said.
One more thing
While the project was initially planned to wrap up in April, Arredondo said his team is running ahead of schedule and will likely complete the flushing in March.
