You have probably noticed fire hydrants flushed and releasing large amounts of water into the streets. While it may seem like a waste of clean water, flushing hydrants is essential to keeping water safe and maintaining the integrity of a pipe network.
Hydrant flushing is the quick release of water from fire hydrants. It’s a controlled procedure vital to the general maintenance of the City’s water distribution system. It ensures adequate water flow is available to firefighters, residents, and businesses. It also helps maintain Soledad’s water clarity and quality by clearing iron and mineral deposits from the water mains (distribution pipes).
Hydrant flushing helps ensure water quality and helps avoid random bouts of rusty water if there is a high demand for water, such as a major firefighting effort or high usage during a sustained drought.
Sometimes, hydrant flushing can temporarily make the water appear rust-colored because the iron and mineral deposits in the water get stirred up. Water is safe to use and consume during hydrant flushing, however it may stain laundry.
The main component of the discoloration of the water during hydrant flushing is caused by iron deposits from inside the mains. The source of the iron is naturally occurring from deposits in the ductile iron pipe that make up the underground water system.
The City of Soledad is required by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the California State Water Resources Control Board to test the water in the system at various times throughout the year according to mandated parameters. The results of these tests are outlined in the annual Water Quality Consumer Confidence Report available on the City’s website. The 2023 report shows the City’s compliance with all the required testing parameters.
Although the water is discolored during hydrant flushing and may look unclear or tinted, it is not harmful or contaminated. To ensure the highest possible quality of water and in accordance with regulations, the City’s Water Division collects samples from 20 separate collection points every week. These samples are then analyzed for bacteriological contamination.
