Central Coast Council’s stage one water mains cleaning program saw 11 suburbs on the Central Coast benefit from improved water quality, with stage two underway for residents in Springfield, East Gosford, Long Jetty and The Entrance.

Acting Director Water and Sewer, Daniel Kemp said stage one of the program was hugely successful with works being completed on time, with minimal disruption and minimal water wastage.

“Stage one of our water mains cleaning program saw 90km worth of mains cleaned in 18 days, with Council scooping up sediment and saving the equivalent of 8 Olympic sized swimming pools worth of water for the Coast,” Mr Kemp said.

“Approximately 200 homes per day benefited from this first round of cleaning with many residents stopping to chat with our crews on site and learn more about the program and our water saving methods.

“Council actively monitors and tests the water supply across the Coast and these results indicate areas due for cleaning. Stage two of the program will commence every day until 12 November, typically between the hours of 8am and 5pm and will not disrupt the water supply.

“We implement a range of measures to reduce the impact on the community, however should residents have any immediate concerns they should contact Council on 1300 463 954.”

Mayor Lisa Matthews said water is a precious resource and it is great to see Council using innovative techniques to conserve it.

“Through our Community Strategic Plan, our community told us they want a drought-resilient Coast where water is used responsibly – and Council is leading by example with initiatives like our mains cleaning program.

“We are committed to investing in our essential services, such as water, so they meet the needs of our growing community now and into the future.”

Areas having their water mains cleaned as part of this round of the program are:

Springfield                        Until 25 October 2019

East Gosford                     26-31 October 2019

Long Jetty/The Entrance   1-12 November 2019

While works will not disrupt the water supply, customers may notice a drop in water pressure, discoloured water or a slight chlorine odour and taste after the mains are flushed.

If residents experience discoloured water, run the front garden tap into a bucket for 30 seconds to check if the water clears. Water will usually clear but if not please wait one hour and repeat the process. Once water from the front tap is clear, residents need to run their back garden tap into a bucket for 30 seconds to ensure there is no discoloured water in their pipes. This water can then be used on your garden. If water is still discoloured after one hour contact Council.

If water becomes discoloured during a washing cycle, it is advised to leave clothes wet and rewash them after the water clears to minimise the risk of staining.

For more information visit centralcoast.nsw.gov.au/wateroutages