You may have noticed fire hydrants and blowoffs being flushed and releasing large amounts of water into the streets. While it may appear that hundreds of gallons are going to waste, there are actually several benefits to hydrant and blowoff flushing processes. Water main flushing is an important preventative maintenance activity that assists with the following:
- verifies proper operation of the hydrant
- evaluates the available flow to the hydrant
- allows utilities to deliver the highest quality water possible to their customers
- removes mineral and sediment build up from the water mains
During the flushing of a hydrant, operators can assess the water pressure and available flow rate for firefighting purposes. It’s imperative that each hydrant is operating as firefighters rely on them for fire-ground operations.