Story Submitted:
Madison Fire Rescue will start flow testing fire hydrants on Monday, June 26. The City has approximately 270 fire hydrants, 75 of which were tested earlier this year. This process may take up to two months to complete, depending on department call volume.
Signs will be posted in the areas where flow testing is occurring, and some streets may need to be blocked temporarily because of the water flowing, to ensure safety.
Hydrants must be fully opened to ensure accurate testing of the hydrants, so residents will see more water on the street than for normal flushing activities.
Flow testing may cause some of the same problems that flushing hydrants does, mainly discolored or rusty water issues.
Residents will need to let their water run if they start seeing rusty or dark-colored water and be cautious when washing clothes especially lighter colored clothes or whites.
If the water does not clear up within 15 to 30 minutes, the resident should call Madison City Hall at (850) 973-5081.
Fire Chief Bruce Jordan says the department flow tests hydrants for many reasons: flow testing hydrants is required by the Insurance Services Organization (ISO) to maintain the fire department’s ISO rating; flow testing provides the information that allows the fire department to color code the fire hydrants according to how much water they flow in gallons per minute.
This information can be crucial to fire crews when connecting to a fire hydrant for water supply to fight a house fire.
If you have questions or concerns about the testing, call Fire Chief Bruce Jordan at (850) 973-5075.