Water

Fire Hydrant Flushing & Flow Testing

Have you ever been driving in South Ogden City and noticed a City worker standing by a fire hydrant with water gushing out of it? Have you ever wondered why they're “wasting” so much water? There are good reasons for the use of this water. The workers you see flushing fire hydrants work for the Water Department, and they are trained in sound and proven water system maintenance practices. Flushing fire hydrants is one of the most important maintenance practices that can be performed on a water distribution system. When a worker fully opens a fire hydrant for the flushing process, the following are checked and recorded:

  • Visible and audible leaks
  • Turbidity testing—tests amount of dirt in water
  • Water pressure
  • Proper operation of valves
  • Color of the water
  • Flow of gallons per minute

If ignored, corrosion and rust can cause problems such as: severe rusty water, reduced water pressure, lower chlorine level. Replacing water that had been standing in the system with fresh water is especially important in dead end main areas and low flow areas in the system.

The cost of flushing fire hydrants is money well-invested. So, the next time you see a City worker flushing a hydrant, you can rest assured that they are working hard to protect the safety of the public, improve water quality and properly maintain the water distribution system.

Flow testing of fire hydrants is done in cooperation with South Ogden City Fire Department to identify the amount of water a certain fire hydrant can deliver during an emergency situation. This service is done on a continuing basis so that problems can be identified and them eliminated.

After hydrant flushing be sure to completely run the water before doing laundry or drinking

Question: My clothes have been discolored from the rust, what should I do?
Answer: You should clean them with a rust remover, such as “Iron Out” or “Yellow Out” which are available at most home improvement stores.

Question: Is the water safe to drink?
Answer: Yes, if the water would be unsafe for any reason to drink, a boil alert would be issued.

Diagrams