COQUITLAM, B.C., January 12, 2024 – Coquitlam is currently conducting its annual water main flushing. Residents can find out when flushing is taking place in their neighbourhood by viewing an online map at coquitlam.ca/WaterMain.
The city flushes a third of its water mains from fall to spring each year on a rotating basis to maintain water quality.
Fixing Cloudy Tap Water
Water main flushing involves moving large volumes of water through distribution pipes to clean out sediment and mineral buildup. This work can cause temporary changes in water pressure, discolouration or sediment in tap water for a short time, but the water remains safe to drink.
Residents can clear up cloudy water by running the cold-water tap until it runs clear, ideally in the bathtub to avoid clogging up faucet screens. Turn the cold water on for a few minutes until it runs clear and, if it is still cloudy, try again in half an hour.
Do not run any hot water until the cold water has cleared in order to keep cloudy water out of your hot water tank.
Delivering High-quality Drinking Water
Water main flushing is a common maintenance practice, conducted not only to maintain clean drinking water, but also to protect the significant public investment in water infrastructure. Residents can view the City’s 2022 water-quality report at coquitlam.ca/water. Other helpful information includes an interactive Story Map to show how safe, clean and reliable drinking water gets from the watershed to homes in our community.
Coquitlam’s year-round maintenance includes:
- Flushing of one-third of the City’s water mains each year on a rotating basis, covering more than 100 kilometres;
- A tri-annual reservoir cleaning program is conducted and, in 2023, the Conifer, Eagle Mountain, Noon’s Creek and Crouch reservoirs were cleaned and structurally inspected;
- Maintaining chlorine levels to prevent bacteria regrowth in the system; and
- Monitoring of sections with reduced water flow, such as dead-end mains, and flushing to improve circulation and residual chlorine levels.
The City loops dead-end mains into the system whenever opportunities arise through capital projects and new development. Areas with low residual chlorine continue to reduce year after year.
Reducing Water Consumption
Whenever you flush a toilet, take a shower or water your garden, you are using Coquitlam’s high-quality drinking water to do so.
The City encourages thoughtful, restrained water use through its Enhanced Water Conservation Strategy, which includes public education, enhanced leak detection, toilet replacement rebates, other initiatives and enforcement of regional water restrictions.
Media Contact
Brad Lofgren
Director, Public Works
City of Coquitlam
604-927-3500
epw@coquitlam.ca
We acknowledge with gratitude and respect that the name Coquitlam was derived from the hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ (HUN-kuh-MEE-num) word kʷikʷəƛ̓əm (kwee-KWET-lum) meaning “Red Fish Up the River”. The City is honoured to be located on the kʷikʷəƛ̓əm traditional and ancestral lands, including those parts that were historically shared with the q̓ic̓əy̓ (kat-zee), and other Coast Salish Peoples.