Hydrant testing and flushing

Walhalla Fire Department on Wednesday, May 1 will start testing and flushing the more than 200 hydrants in and around the city. It’s part of a bi-annual maintenance schedule. The fire fighters are looking to ensure the hydrants produce the needed amount of water during a fire and to identify any problems. The testing and flushing is also a requirement of the ISO—the organization that sets property rates based on fire safety ratings. Chief Brandon Burton says, “Unfortunately, during testing, there may be pressure drops and discoloration of water near areas where hydrants are being flowed. This is only temporary and is caused by running large amounts of water through pipes that may have not been used recently. Where there is discoloration, running the water four to five minutes usually relieves the problem. The department recommends that citizens not wash clothes until the discoloration has cleared in an effort to prevent staining.”