Tucson Officials: Flush Pipes Before Reopening Buildings

TUCSON, AZ — Owners of businesses temporarily shuttered by the new coronavirus are encouraged to purge their plumbing upon reopening, Tucson Water officials said in a release Friday.

The water department warns water in private plumbing lines can become stagnant, develop bacteria and acquire higher levels of metals when left standing for an extended period of time.

Water officials recommend building owners flush twice the volume of water held in the lines through the building's faucets.

Owners are encouraged to remove faucet aerators, turn on faucets furthest from the water meter first and flush as many faucets simultaneously as possible. It's also recommended that building owners let water flush for 10 to 30 minutes for each outlet in both hot and cold water lines.

Lastly, water officials recommend that building owners sanitize cooling towers, evaporative coolers and misting lines.