Conventional water main flushing
Municipal water utilities typically utilize a flushing program to maintain water quality and meet federal (EPA) and state regulatory requirements. This conventional method of flushing involves the opening of fire hydrants or other appurtenances, which wastes water to atmosphere until clear. That water typically enters a storm drain system where it is eventually discharged into a waterway of some sort, or is directed to a detention basin. Depending on the system, its design, source water quality, piping materials, etc. such flushing can waste a significant portion of the annual municipal water supply. In some systems, flushing programs are carried on continuously for 4 or more months each year. While flushing certainly improves water quality, increases consumer confidence, and enables utilities to remain in compliance with water quality standards, there is a large waste not only of the water, but the energy used to produce, treat and transport it. Until recently, those costs weren’t high enough and regulations stringent enough to effect most flushing programs. However, increasingly restrictive NPDES regulations have made it expensive and in some cases cost prohibitive for utilities to flush their systems on anything other than an as-needed basis, as water discharged to waterways cannot contain chlorine (which is commonly used for disinfection purposes) or other chemicals, sedimentation, minerals, etc, that is found in the wasted water. Rising energy costs to produce and distribute the water have also had a severe financial impact on flushing programs as well. As a result, many utilities have scaled back their flushing programs to achieve NPDES regulatory compliance, reduce costs and avoid fines that can be levied for violating these regulations. The major drawback to this strategy is that water distribution systems and consumer water quality can suffer. In fact, it can lead to regulatory violations of EPA and state water quality regulations. Out of this was born our patent for NO-DES, the Neutral Output Discharge Elimination System, a truck-mounted filtration and re-circulating system that allows for the flushing, filtering and re-circulation of distribution system water. The result is drastically improved water quality, conservation of two vital natural resources (water and energy) and the ability to surpass regulatory compliance standards. By treating and re-circulating water that up until now has been wasted, we can in essence create a new water supply through large-scale conservation by the agencies that should take the lead and set the example for everyone else! In addition, customers are not affected and the flushing needn’t take place in the middle of the night/early morning as it has traditionally been performed.
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As a result of increasingly stringent National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations, water utilities are in a difficult position relative to water quality and conservation. Exacerbating this situation are cyclical drought conditions and supply issues, not to mention an increasing population and corresponding increased total consumption.