Aqua PA To Businesses: Flush Water Lines Before Reopening

BRYN MAWR, PA — Businesses whose water needed are served by Aqua Pennsylvania are being advised of potential water issues as they reopen after being shuttered.

The utility company said commercial customers whose businesses might have been closed for prolonged periods due to COVID-19 to ask that they thoroughly flush their internal plumbing before reopening their businesses or restarting their operations.

That building plumbing, including water heaters, should be thoroughly flushed before reopening for normal use.

Customers should flush all cold water lines, then all hot water lines.

Thorough flushing includes operating all sink, tub, shower and toilet fixtures. Safety equipment, such as eye washes, safety showers and fire sprinkler systems might also require assessment and necessary maintenance.

Standard plumbing equipment should be flushed as follows:

• toilets should be flushed several times to ensure fresh water moves through piping;
• and faucets and showers should be allowed to run for approximately 10 minutes in total, with cold taps running first followed by hot taps.

"Water that has been left sitting in unused pipes, equipment like ice machines and building systems while those buildings are closed over extended periods of time can become stagnant and produce undesirable tastes or odors when the building is re-opened and water use is returned to normal," said Aqua Pennsylvania President Marc Lucca. "Extended periods of inactivity can degrade water quality that in some cases may cause metals, such as lead, to leach as well as bacteria growth like legionella. It is important that customers take proper steps to alleviate these potential issues."