Osceola Water Works staff has finalized this year’s fire hydrant flushing with minimal water waste thanks to a local business.
Over the past few weeks, Water Works employees made their way around the city and opened fire hydrants for a short period of time, allowing them to flow freely. By doing this, staff were able to perform routine maintenance on the hydrants, making sure they were in good working condition in case of a fire. This process also cleans out sediment that has settled in the water mains and is just one of the ways Osceola Water Works makes sure Osceola residents continue to receive safe, quality water every day.
During this year’s flushing project, 184 hydrants out of 356 were flushed and received routine maintenance. Osceola Water Works identified four hydrants that needed to be completely replaced and Water Works staff has already begun that process. Another vital reason for performing annual hydrant maintenance is keeping life-saving water available for the Osceola Fire Department.
“The last thing anyone wants is for the fire department to be unable to stop a fire,” said Brandon Patterson, Osceola Water Works Superintendent. “Not only does this process keep the water safe, it also protects residents’ homes and businesses from catastrophe.”
In an effort to think outside the box in terms of water conservation, the Osceola Water Works staff reached out to a local business for assistance. Bud Jones Construction stepped up and donated the use of a tanker to capture some of the discharge water that was used during the hydrant flushing.
“We want to be as conscious of water usage as anyone else in the city, but the process of hydrant flushing is necessary to maintain water quality and to ensure proper operation of the hydrants when needed in a fire,” said Patterson. “Through Bud Jones Constructions generosity, we created a win-win situation and were able to reuse the water we had to discharge.”
The discharged water was collected and, by partnering with the City of Osceola, was reused to assist with flushing out the sanitary sewer system, conserving water on two fronts. Sewer flushing is also an essential maintenance procedure that is needed to clear out debris, blockages and buildup within sanitary sewer pipes as well as aiding in maintaining optimal sewer operation and infrastructure life. The successful implementation of this process paves the way for future out-of-the-box thinking that saves water while also keeping the water supply safe and clean for residents well into the future.