Water Main Pressure Test and Chlorination

Now that the water main has been installed, it needs to pass a pressure test (to ensure there are no leaks) and it needs to be chlorinated. The pressure test is scheduled for today. It’s actually quite a simple test, in that the main is filled with water and pressurized to 150 pounds per square inch (psi). To pass the pressure test, pressure must be held at 150 psi for 2 hours. Once the pressure test passes, the water main gets chlorinated. Once the chlorination tests pass, the contractor can begin on water services. The earliest that water service installation will happen is next Thursday. Residents will have their individual service turned off for approximately 2 hours when the contractor works on the service. All homes are receiving a new 1.5” copper service from the water main to the right-of-way (property) line. The contractor will inform each home owner the day of the individual service shut-off.

When a home’s water service is shut off for any amount of time, some air will accumulate in the pipe. When the water gets turned back on, it is good for the resident to slowly turn a faucet back on and allow the air to escape, which is a very quick process.