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Background
The City of Guelph is dedicated to providing safe and reliable drinking water to all its residents. To achieve this, Water Services runs a Dead-End Flushing Program. This program focuses on watermain locations at dead-end streets where water usage is usually lower.
The Dead-End Flushing Program is a year-round initiative designed to regularly flush water at designated locations, ensuring stagnant water is removed and replaced with fresh supply. By doing so, we aim to reduce sediment accumulation and maintain the superior standards set for Guelph’s drinking water system. This proactive approach helps ensure the safety, reliability, and the highest quality of our water supply for all residents. Each dead-end location is assessed based on factors like the age, length, size, and material of the pipes, as well as the number of users. This tailored approach helps minimize water loss while effectively maintaining water quality through necessary flushing.
SDR Dead-End Management
Historically, some dead-end locations in Guelph’s water distribution system were not equipped with flushing infrastructure. This can make it challenging to maintain optimal water quality. To address this, Water Services has initiated a multi-year project to install flushing devices, at key dead-end locations. While the water has always been safe to drink, these upgrades will help our team improve water circulation and provide clear documentation to show compliance with Ontario’s drinking water regulations. Over the next four years, we will install new infrastructure to progressively enhance water quality at these locations.
Project Timeline
The second phase of post hydrant installations will start in Spring of 2026 as weather permits and will conclude in the Summer of 2026.
What to Expect
- Little disruption: Construction will be quick and focused in small areas. We will do our best to avoid any inconvenience and will let you know ahead of time if there are any short service disruptions.
- No change to on-street parking: The newly installed Post Flushing Hydrants are smaller than standard fire hydrants and are not used for firefighting purposes. Because of this, they do not need a no-parking zone. If on-street parking is currently allowed in your area, you can still park in front of these hydrants. You won’t get a ticket for parking in front of them like you would with a regular fire hydrant.
Resources
For more information
Mark Allen,
Project Specialist -SDR
Water Services, Environmental Services
City of Guelph
519-837-5627
[email protected]