The Orange Water Department has scheduled its Fall Fire Hydrant Flushing for weekdays, starting October 22nd until November 7th.
This has been posted on the Town Hall and Water Department bulletin boards, and was advertised in the Greenfield Recorder and the Athol Daily Newspapers for 3 days 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.
Unexpected situations may affect the accuracy of this listing. In efforts to keep the customer base as informed as possible, today, Tuesday October 28th, the Orange Water Department expects to be flushing hydrants on North Main Street from the Water Storage Tank at 500 working South down the hill, Logan Avenue, Lincoln Avenue, Mechanic Street, Winter Street, East Howe Street, Grove Street, Ball Street, Cottage Street, West Main Street, Shelter Street, Water Street, Depot Street, and East Main Street from the Main Street Intersection to Mechanic Street on the North side of town. On Lincoln, Logan, and the upper section of North Main Street, fire hydrant flow tests will be performed for a flow evaluation study that has potential for a grant opportunity for infrastructure replacement in that area that will be a little more aggressive and may cause some more discoloration than usual.. There is also scheduled fire sprinkler work being done on East Main Street and New Athol Road today that will be flowing water,
Tomorrow, Wednesday, October 29th, the Orange Water Department expects to be flushing hydrants on East Main Street, Eddy Street, Whitney Street, Battle Street, Russ Street, Jones Street, Wheeler Avenue, Brookside Road, Marjorie Street, Riverside Drive, Glenwood Avenue, and Rosemont Avenue on the North side of town.
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.
