Fort Atkinson city officials have announced that fire hydrant flushing is slated to begin this month.
Hydrant flushing on the city’s south side, which is the portion of the city on the south side of the Rock River, will begin Friday, Sept. 23, in the “south side industrial area,” at 7 p.m., and continue throughout the city’s south side beginning Monday, Sept. 26, through Thursday, Sept. 29. Work on those dates will commence at 7 a.m.
On the city’s north side, flushing will begin Wednesday, Sept. 28, running through Friday, Sept. 30, and again on Monday, Oct. 3, running through Friday, Oct. 7. Work will commence at 7 a.m.
Directional flushing will take place Thursday, Oct. 6, through Friday, Oct. 7, also beginning at 7 a.m.
Additional flushing may occur as needed based on water quality once all the hydrants have received maintenance, information released by the city stated.
According to the release, there are some 590 fire hydrants located throughout the city that provide fire protection to homes and businesses. Keeping each one in proper working order calls for regular maintenance.
Each spring and fall, the Water Utility performs a preventative action known as hydrant flushing, which verifies the network has adequate water flow to perform its essential duties. It also serves a secondary purpose in removing sediment that naturally accumulates in water pipes. Flushing it out of the system helps uphold the high water standard.
Additionally, the release noted, wherever hydrant flushing occurs, there may be a slight discoloration of water that flows from the faucet. Discoloration can be corrected by running cold water for three to five minutes.
“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,” the release noted.
“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 been aware of,” Water Utility Superintendent Jeff Armstrong was quoted as saying in the release.
To learn more about the city’s water system, including its annual water quality report, visit the water department’s section on the city’s website: www.fortatkinsonwi.gov.
A fire hydrant in the city of Fort Atkinson, one of 590, will be among those flushed this fall as part of an annual maintenance process. Fall flushing will begin on the city’s south side later this month and continue on the north side, with the full process completing in October. File photo/Kim McDarison.
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