On Fri, 3 Feb 2012 08:54:06 -0500, "Tomsic" wrote:


"micky" wrote in message
.. .
On Thu, 2 Feb 2012 06:02:41 -0800 (PST), "
wrote:

On Feb 2, 8:38 am, "Stormin Mormon"
wrote:
The OP said s/he was at the top of a big hill, might not be enough water
main to supply a hydrant.

Don't know where you are, but in the Rochester, NY area, I've not heard
of
any hydrant flushing program. Back in about 1979 or so, when I was in
the
fire explorers, I asked about that. The fireman I asked said they used
to
flush hydrants, but some people had brown water for up to two days, so
they
stopped the flushing program.


They flush them here in my local NJ water system about
once a year.

Baltimore County is pretty prosperous, but I've never seen anyone
flushing a hydrant, nor heard reference to it . (Baltimore County is
not the same as Baltimore City, which is about the size of a county.)

I think they did so in NYC, so I'm not surpised they do it in NJ.

Flushing hydrants may be more common in rust-belt cities because of, well,
rust. It's best to get the rust out to avoid reduced flows in case of fires
and emergency hydrant use. Around here (Ohio), the hydrants are flushed
every spring by the fire departments. It makes for some rustry crud on the
streets and rusty water in the house; but the water clears up within a short
time. I usually drain some of the same stuff out of the bottom of the hot
water heater every couple of years so the heating efficiency doesn't drop.

Broken water mains can also cause rusty water as the increased flow stirs up
the rusty stuff in the pipes.

I think it's good to see my street hydrant tested once a year -- never know
when it will be needed.

Good point. The hydrant nearest me has been used, I think, only once
in the last 32 years. Who knows if it still works. People have air
conditioning, so the kids don't open the hydrants to cool off. (There
was one fire. I presume they used the hydrant .)

Tomsic