Why Will Water Gush from SLP Hydrants?

Starting Oct. 14, you might notice something a little strange with the water around St. Louis Park as staff flush the city's water mains to break loose mineral build-up.

Water color and taste should be improved when the process concludes on Oct. 18, but in the meantime residents will likely notice city fire hydrants gushing water and ferrous, rust-colored water coming from their taps.

"When we flush the mains, we increase the flow to create a scouring action inside the water mains," Jay Hall, the city's utilities superintendent, said in a statement. "That breaks loose any mineral build-up and iron sediment from the water main. Unfortunately, loose iron particles can give water a yellow or orange color."

The city offers a few tips for dealing with the discolored water:

• Turn your water softener off or set it to "bypass" for the week
• During this week, don't do laundry without first checking to see if your water is rust-colored. You can check water by running the tap. If it's rust-colored, don't run your washing machine until you've cleared the water. To clear your water, simply run your cold water tap in your laundry tub until it runs clear. Then you can go ahead and do the laundry.
• Each morning, during this week, run the cold water tap to flush your household system of any discolored water sitting in the pipes. If tap water becomes discolored during the day, run the cold water tap until the water clears again.
• If your laundry is stained by the water during this week, keep the laundered items wet and call the Utility Divisions at (952) 924-2562 to have a chemical brought to you that will remove the stains.