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As Windsor Water Main Replacement Wraps Up, Expect Service To Cut Out

By Alex Nitkin | December 20, 2016 5:06am
 Crews work in the 5100 block of West Windsor Avenue, between Lavergne Avenue and Leclaire Avenue.
Crews work in the 5100 block of West Windsor Avenue, between Lavergne Avenue and Leclaire Avenue.
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DNAinfo/Alex Nitkin

PORTAGE PARK — As city workers finish a months-long project to replace a water main along Windsor Avenue, nearby residents can expect brief and temporary cuts to water service, officials said.

Starting in late October, workers replaced about 2,600 feet of 100-year-old cast iron pipes on the half-mile stretch of Windsor Avenue between Lavergne Avenue and Long Avenue.

Homes' water service will be cut for several hours at a time as they're diverted to the new line "over the next few weeks," according to Gary Litherland, a spokesman for the city's Department of Water Management.

Residents near the project are advised to flush out their water systems by running their faucets for five continuous minutes, starting on the lowest floor and moving up.

Water main replacement projects typically improve the pressure and capacity of water coming out of residents' faucets, but sometimes it can seem like the opposite at first, because vibrations from the work can "shake loose sediment" and cause blockages. But residents can remedy that, Litherland said, by cleaning out the aerator on their faucet (the tiny screen that filters water as it comes out).

"Sediment, rust and metals, including any lead may collect in the aerator screen located at the tip of your faucets," Litherland wrote in a message to homeowners.

Anyone who wants their home's water checked for lead can call 311 for a free test.

The water department's public affairs office can be reached during business hours at 312-744-6635.

"Anyone who has any special concerns should let us know," Litherland said. "We know it's a pain, but we'll try to be out of there as soon as we can."

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