Hydrants to be tested and flushed in May

Walhalla firefighters will test and flush more than 200 hydrants in and around the city starting May 1, to ensure that the hydrants pour out the water needed during a fire.  The maintenance is helpful also to identify any problems.  Thru its bi-annual hydrant maintenance work, the tests done help Walhalla keep its city-wide insurance class 2 public protection rating.  While the maintenance is done, there could be pressure drops and discolored water through pipes not recently used.  Where there is discoloration, running the water four to five minutes usually relieves the problem.  Until the discolored water clears, the fire department recommends against washing clothes to prevent staining.  Hydrant testing in the business district is done after hours.  You can get more information about hydrant testing by calling the Walhalla Fire Department at 638-4345.