Seton Hall Sewer Flushing

I have guests from out of town and apparently we can't do laundry because of a weeklong Seton Hall sewer flushing. It seems to be a tad disrespectful to the local neighborhood that we are deprived of usable water for a week. In addition, our village website directs calls the the East Orange Water Commission, which is being inundated with calls despite having little to do with this decision. The website says the water is "safe" but advises us not to do laundry. Really?? How do I bathe kids and hand them a cup of brown water to drink?

There's really no other way to flush the system, and it has to be done .... the brown is just sediment that has been stirred up - but I wouldn't drink it - then again, I don't drink SO water without significant filtering anyway.   They're done by 4 - so run your water until it runs clear and then you can do the laundry.

I ran into this problem yesterday on Academy St. I had no idea it would affect me that far away. They recommended filling pitchers for water/cooking, but I guess wash, dishwasher, baths will need to wait until evening. Try not to use hot water if you can help it. It will draw the sediment into your hot water heater.

South Orange's website says that they're flushing fire hydrants, not sewers.

http://www.southorange.org/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=219

At some point in the year, I think every water system is flushed to clear out sediment and make sure it keeps flowing properly.  So, this isn't anything unique to Seton Hall, or any other system of water lines.

I don't recall it being this bad. After flushing all my faucets yesterday the water is still heavily tinted. Where else is this being done? and why a week? And why directing calls to east orange water?