The Orange Water Department has scheduled its Spring Fire Hydrant Flushing for weekdays, starting May 6th until May 24th.
This has been posted on the Town Hall and Water Department bulletin boards, and was advertised in the Athol Daily Newspaper prior to starting. We have our sign boards at the two main intersections in the center of town, and are posting our local "expected flush area next flushing day" signs, along with updating this notice daily. We realize the inconvenience of this process, and are doing the best we can to alert the customers prior to the time when it will affect them the most. Please understand that this maintenance task must be performed at routine intervals to keep the entire system operating properly, despite the short term discoloration of the water that occurs as we move through. Please see below in regards to the safety of the discolored water, which is caused by stirring up settled mineral deposits within the piping system that we are removing as we perform this task in a systematic procedure. System flushing is very important to water quality throughout the system, and also allows for fire hydrant operational checks. Discolored water is common during this process, and you are encouraged to check: https://www.townoforange.org/DocumentCenter/View/333/MADEP-Color-Taste--Odor-What-You-Should-Know-PDF to help answer related concerns about it. Please check here for daily updates of expected flushing areas, and thank you for your patience and understanding through this maintenance process.
Unexpected situations may affect the accuracy of this listing. In efforts to keep the customer base as informed as possible, today, Thursday, May 23rd, the Orange Water Department expects to be flushing hydrants on East River Street starting just past Prentiss Street heading East, Red Brook Lane, Robin Lane, Nina Pierce Circle, Shingle Brook Road, Airport Street, and East River Street extension, Daniel Shay Highway East end working towards the 202 Industrial Park, Stone Road, Lucci Drive, Governor Dukakis Drive, and C Street on the South side of town. This will conclude our Spring Hydrant Flushing. Thank you all, again, for your patience and understanding!
On Friday May 24th, we should only be flushing if we don't finish today, due to thunder storms.
