A proper cleaning and disinfecting program for water lines is imperative to remove biofilms – either invisible or built-up grunge inside the lines. These programs are necessary as biofilms create ideal conditions for the growth of harmful bacteria. A basic water line cleaning program consists of these three steps:

1. Acidify the water to a pH of four (let stand for 8-24 hours). This helps to dissolve the mineral complexes in the biofilm and the water line
2. Add a product such as hydrogen peroxide in a final concentration of 0.8%– 3% (let stand for 12–72 hours). This step disrupts the organic component of the biofilm
3. Add a disinfectant (let stand for 30 minutes to 48 hours based on product specifications). This step is to kill any remaining bacteria, which have been exposed to, but not killed by, the peroxide

During each step, walk the line and trigger the nipples with a clean broom to ensure that the whole system is exposed to the treatment. A high-pressure flush of five minutes (or one minute per 100 feet of line) is necessary between each of these steps. Always follow the manufacturer instructions when using water products in your water system.

Check out this info sheet for more details.