Arlington Fire Hydrant Inspections Begin Monday

From the Arlington Fire Department.

During the month of October, the Arlington Fire Department will be inspecting the fire hydrants in town. Fire crews will be out Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. until all of the 1,400 hydrants are inspected. The inspection involves removing all caps and lubricating the threads as well as flowing water to ensure that each hydrant is operating properly. All fire hydrants in town are known as dry barrel hydrants, meaning that there is no water in the barrel of the hydrant until it is opened up. This ensures that the hydrants won’t freeze and therefore be available when they are needed for a fire. After every use and inspection, the hydrants are closed and the water drains out. Those hydrants that don’t drain properly are pumped out and reported to the Water Department for further maintenance.

The last step in the inspection is to check the hydrant markers. After every significant snow accumulation, the fire department sends its crews out to shovel the snow buried hydrants. Some hydrants can be particularly hard to find due to their location, hence the hydrant markers. When crews come across a marker that needs to be replaced or a location that is difficult to find a new marker is added.

During hydrant inspections, residents might experience temporarily low water pressure or discolored (rusty) water. It is advised that you run your faucets until you have clean water. Do not run your hot water or do laundry until your water is clear. If you have any questions, please contact The Fire Department(781) 316-3800.

Image vy By 玄史生 - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=21898167