Flushing operations of various locations within AWSD system is scheduled on varying times during a month, monthly, or quarterly as an initiative-taking practice to ensure that water provided to customers is of the best quality, meeting EPA and State requirements for purity and safety. Sometimes, water leaks or other situations occur that require off-schedule flushing. Flushing causes discolored water, resulting from the disruption and agitation of minerals resident in the vicinity of the flushing location. Although temporarily discolored, the water is not in any way a hazard and the water product is safe, conforming to all applicable EPA and State regulations. Separate from leaks or breaks in transmission lines, the district’s operations staff flush the system on a routine basis to discharge any product that stays in pipes for extended periods to avoid its going stale, gathering odors or both.

Often, the district experiences a water leak and after fixing the leak, certified district operators flush the water system in the area to remove the iron and other suspended minerals. When a water main leak is repaired, the system must be flushed (water is discharged from hydrants or otherwise spent near the leak site). While flushing, minerals especially iron, resident in the water lines are agitated and travel through close by mains and into customer services.  Again, removing the suspended iron and other minerals requires flushing at fire hydrants or other flush out points strategically placed in the system. Often water becomes discolored as an unfortunate aesthetic issue but does not affect the quality or safety of the water from your tap. In such circumstances, allowing the water to flow from your faucet is advised – this until the water’s color is clear.

Please know that iron and other minerals are naturally occurring in the water in the aquifer from where the district pumps its water. The water is treated to ensure it is safe and meets EPA/NM regulations.

What Is Water and What Is Water Quality?

The water molecule is …

• the most abundant, unique, and important substance on Earth.
• essential to life.
• an essential part of all living things.
• a universal solvent that makes all biological functions possible.
• the only substance that occurs naturally on Earth in all three physical states (solid, liquid, and gas).
• odorless, tasteless, colorless, and transparent; and
• composed of two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom (H2O).

When you pour a glass of water, what is in that glass of water? It is not pure water because it is impossible to remove all other substances from the water (including any dissolved gases like oxygen). Even if your water comes from a water treatment plant (or even if it is bottled), it contains small levels of organic matter, suspended particles, certain elements, or other molecules. If your water contains these substances, you should not have to worry about them if they are at levels low enough to comply with the quality standards established for drinking water.

Water quality comprises the physical, chemical, and biological properties of the water at levels suitable for a particular use. Uses will vary, and so will the water quality standards. In the scenario above, the water treatment plant takes in water (groundwater, surface water, etc.) and prepares it for drinking; since it is being used for human consumption, the water must meet the drinking-water quality standards that are set at levels to protect the health of the general population.

Please enjoy a drink of water and thank you for being a customer of the district.