The City of Fort Atkinson Water Utility will be taking preventative maintenance action by flushing the community’s hydrants. The process will begin Friday, April 23.
In a recent press release, Water Utility Supervisor Tim Hayden noted that there are 590 hydrants throughout the city used to provide water to protect homes and businesses in the event of a fire.
“Keeping each one in proper working order calls for regular maintenance,” Hayden said, adding that the process is undertaken each spring and fall.
Flushing is used to verify that the city’s network has adequate water flow to perform essential duties and to serve in a secondary purpose of removing sediment that naturally accumulates in water pipes.
“Flushing it out of the system helps the city ensure the highest water quality standards,” Hayden said in the release.
According to the release, wherever hydrant flushing occurs, there may be a slight discoloration of water that flows from the faucet. If this happens, simply run cold water for three to five minutes to return water flow to its normal state. The temporary discoloration only impacts the appearance of water and does not pose a health or safety risk. To avoid discoloring of white laundry, it is suggested to wait until cold tap water runs clear before washing such items.
“How long we run the hydrants themselves depends on their sediment buildup. Some go for three minutes, others for thirty, and we stop when the water flows clear. This process keeps every hydrant in good working order and alerts us to any faults we may not have otherwise noticed,” Hayden noted in the release.
Hydrant flushing is tentatively scheduled as follows:
• South side industrial areas, beginning Friday, April 23.
• South side residential areas, beginning Monday, April 26.
• North side of the Rock River, beginning Wednesday, April 28.
• South side directional flushing near Jones Park (if needed), beginning Thursday, May 6.
Water utility customers should not experience lower water pressure during the hydrant flushing process.
Residents with concerns or questions may call the Fort Atkinson Water Utility at (920) 563-7760.
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