CUSTER - Custer Water Association will flush its lines Friday and Saturday, Feb. 1 and 2.
The routine flushing can cause short-term water shutoffs to some users. Only Custer Water customers will be affected.
The association is timing the flushing to a Custer Elementary School work day when students won't be on campus.
For more information, call 360-366-3474.
BELLINGHAM - Public Works Department crews will begin annual flushing of the city's water mains on Monday, April 15.
Flushing removes mineral deposits that naturally build up on the inside walls of the pipes. Water used in the flushing is dechlorinated before being discharged into storm drains.
Flushing often temporarily discolors the water. The discolored water is not harmful to people's health or to many household uses. If you notice discolored water from your tap, run cold water in your bathtub for a few minutes to clear the lines.
SUDDEN VALLEY - Lake Whatcom Water and Sewer District will be flushing water mains through fire hydrants from April 8 to June 27, maintenance that may discolor water.
The discolored water isn't a health hazard but could stain laundry. People are advised to run cold water to remove any discolored water from the flushing in their area. Water customers should avoid running hot discolored water to prevent it from entering the water tank.
In addition, the district and area fire agencies ask homeowners to trim growing vegetation and remove debris around fire hydrants. The district trims during the flushing, but vegetation grows back quickly.
FERNDALE - City officials did not know in advance that hard water from Ferndale's wells would stain or damage fixtures and appliances.
The consultant hired to steer Ferndale through the conversion from Nooksack River water to well water last year was not looking for this problem, according to data logs and memos from the city's water treatment plant and the consultant, RH2 Engineering.
In an interview, RH2 project manager Dan Burwell said water hardness is not a concern when testing a new water source because minerals are not a health hazard. It isn't even an inconvenience, the consultant said, as long as residents and businesses maintain appliances and equipment properly.
FERNDALE - Residents can drop off unwanted prescription and over-the-counter drugs at Haggen Pharmacy and the police station.
Narcotics and other controlled substances must be taken in their original bottles to the police station, 2220 Main St. Other medicines can be dropped off at Haggen, 1815 Main St.
The city's new prescription takeback program is promoted as an alternative to throwing pills in unsecured trash bins, flushing them down the toilet or storing them after they expire. The aim is to prevent water contamination, accidental poisoning and the spread of illegal narcotics among drug addicts.
The owner of the historic brick brewhouse below Tumwater Falls has proposed an improved access road to the property, the first sign of potential development activity there since he bought the building and surrounding property in 2010.
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