Due to the recently unusually heavy rainfall, customers of Virginia American Water in various parts of Alexandria have found strangely-colored water coming out of their household taps. It is caused by elevated levels of manganese.
In order to correct the situation Virginia American Water is undertaking a focused flushing program throughout the City, according to Brian Hannigan, director, Communications, City of Alexandria.
Additionally, Fairfax Water Authority, VAW's supply partner, has adjusted its treatment process to control the increased manganese levels, Gary Lobaugh, VAW's spokesperson, reported.
"We've seen dissipation of the discoloration since we've been doing the spot flushing. We are the water distributor. We actually purchase the water from Fairfax County Water Authority," he said.
They serve more than 1.3 million people throughout Northern Virginia.
"The water is safe to consume. As of yesterday (Monday) we only had one report of discoloration. Right now it's an intermittent things. We anticipate that all discoloration will be gone by the end of the week," Lobaugh said.
Hydrant flushing consists of crews opening fire hydrants and allowing them to flow freely for a short period of time. This enables the company to flush the excess manganese from the water mains.
"Customers may continue to experience a slight yellowish or brownish color in the water for the next couple of days as the water passes through the distribution system," Lobaugh said.
Manganese is a naturally occurring element and is not harmful to health at the levels it was detected in the water, according to both the company and City. "It is an essential element in all forms of life," Lobaugh said.
"People normally get the manganese they need primarily from foods, including many fruits, vegetables, nuts and whole grains," he said. It is also included in most multivitamins.