NEWS RELEASE
CITY OF BARRIE
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In order to properly maintain the water system, the City of Barrie conducts swabbing annually to clean water mains.
Swabbing involves scouring the water main with foam swabs and high-velocity water. These swabs go into a fire hydrant and are pushed by water through the water main, then are removed further down the water main through another hydrant. The hydrants are left open until the water runs clear.
Water-main swabbing is happening in select areas of Ward 6, 8 and 10 throughout July. Water services in these areas will be affected during the below dates and times:
July 3, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Areas of Coleman Drive, Gross Drive, Lowry Court, Pringle Drive, Ruffet Drive
July 8, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Areas of Bay Lane, Brennan Avenue, Cliff Road, Kempview Lane, Southview Road, Wallwin’s Way, White Oaks Road, Whitty Lane
July 10, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Areas of Bayshore Boulevard, Brookfield Crescent, Capps Drive, Crimson Ridge Road, Golden Meadow Road, Royal Park Boulevard, Turner Drive
July 22, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Areas of Bird Street, Edgehill Drive, Gross Drive, Knupp Road, Kraus Road, McAvoy Drive, Miller Drive, Sproule Drive
July 24, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Areas of Dock Road, Gray Lane, Hurst Drive, Jean Street, Tyndale Road, Tynhead Road
How will residents be notified?
Notices will be hand delivered in advance to the doors of impacted properties. If you receive a notice, it is advised that no water be used during the times specified on the notice. To prevent any water use in the home, residents can turn their home water meter off.
If there are changes to the schedule, updated notices will be delivered to the doors of impacted properties. The most current information will also be available at barrie.ca/WaterDistribution.
What to do after swabbing is complete:
Residents and businesses may experience some water discolouration for short durations following outages. Follow these guidelines once water main swabbing is completed:
- Run cold water for a few minutes: Turn on a cold water tap and let the water run for a few minutes. Do not choose a tap that has a water filter connected to it, or the sediment may clog your filter. Do not use a hot water tap because it can draw sediments into your hot water tank.
- Check for clarity: Collect some water in a light-coloured cup or container to see if it is clear. The water may be cloudy because air captured in the water forms tiny bubbles. These bubbles are harmless and will disappear if the water sits for a few minutes. Proceed to use the water if it is clear. If the water does not clear in five minutes, wait 30 minutes and try again.
If water is still discoloured after two to three hours, call the water operations branch at 705-792-7920. Water operations staff will be monitoring the water mains throughout the process.
More information about water treatment, including maps of the areas that will be swabbed, can be found at barrie.ca/WaterDistribution.
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