Spring-cleaning came early this year for the Goleta Water District.

The city has completed its cleansing of local water mains, having flushed water out of its fire hydrants at a high velocity to rid the pipes of accumulated sediment.

Areas that can expect improved water flow include those west of Los Carneros Road to Pebble Beach Drive, from Highway 101 South to the ocean and all of Isla Vista. The flushing process, which began Sunday, was completed by the district on Thursday.

Mike Kanno, operations manager of the Goleta Water District, said this process is part of routine maintenance and can take up to five weeks to completely flush the entire area. At approximately $300 a day for five days per week, the total cost to the city could reach $7,500.

“It’s not a cheap operation,” Kanno said, “but we start to get complaints about dirty water, so this year we decided to do it early.”

Usually the water mains are flushed once every three years, but Kanno said the district has recently increased the rate to every other year due to customer complaints of water discoloration.

Water discoloration often occurs during long periods of high water use such as during the hot summer months when lawns and gardens are being watered daily. Bursting fire hydrants stirring up sediment can also cause discoloration.

Buildup in the water mains commonly consists of mineral deposits such as iron, which can cause the water to look brown or yellow. Rust particles are also common due to the pipe’s steel lining. Much of the water main has a cement mortar coating as well, which may release cement particles into the system.

Kanno said the flushing caused low water pressure and slight discoloration at water fixtures throughout I.V.

For more information, contact the Water District at 964-6761.