Have you ever seen an opened a hydrant valve only to watch the water go down the drain, ditch or street? It might seem like a waste, but hydrant flushing is a crucial part of water quality maintenance to ensure your health. What are some of the best practices, and why are they so essential?
The Impact of Sediment Build-up on Pipes
Over time, sediments, biofilm, and other impurities can accumulate in water main pipes, affecting the color, taste, and odor of potable water. Areas identified as dead ends are especially concerning and include areas water accumulates and doesn't circulate, allowing sediment to settle and corrosion to occur.
Flushing "dead ends" is critical to community and environmental health, and often, a municipality will employ an automatic hydrant flusher to maintain water quality.
Preventative Maintenance
Beyond the improved water quality, hydrant flushing serves an important preventative maintenance function. By clearing out sediment or stagnant water in the system, flushing ensures the components of the water distribution system, such as valves and fire hydrants, function optimally.
Benefits of Regular Hydrant Flushing
The main reason for flushing hydrants is to maintain high water quality. Municipalities can remove rust, mineral particulates, and other sediment that can naturally accumulate in pipes and water mains during this process.
Flushing hydrants increases water safety and enhance the effectiveness of secondary disinfection processes, greatly affecting water quality throughout the system.
Hydrant flushing not only benefits water quality and allows city staff to monitor underground pipes, but it is also crucial for public services. Firefighters rely on properly working hydrants and utilities, and flushing hydrants is a way for professionals to mark, clean, or clear brush around hydrants in case of an emergency.
If you have any questions about hydrant flushing, please contact our Public Works team and we are happy to help.