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West Monroe Fire Department to conduct fire hydrant testing

WEST MONROE – The City of West Monroe Fire Department will be conducting a city-wide flushing program on nearly 800 fire hydrants through June 24.

The City of West Monroe Fire Department will be flushing every fire hydrant across the city, starting on

Monday, May 23, beginning on the west side of the city limits, moving east, then south. The process is critical to the overall maintenance of the City’s water distribution system and is one of the most important practices conducted by public drinking water systems to maintain high quality water, improve the capacity of pipes and ensure proper operation of distribution components such as fire hydrants and valves.

Flowing the fire hydrants assists with the flushing process and helps to remove corrosion, scale and sediment that build up throughout the year. These tests are generally known as fire flow tests because the highest demands of the water system occur when fighting fire. During the flushing program, hydrants will flow for a full five minutes.

Residents should be aware there will be a temporary drop in water pressure during testing, and discolored water sometimes results following the flow tests. Both of these issues are temporary and should clear up quickly. The West Monroe Fire Department apologizes for any inconvenience the testing may cause but reminds the public this service is necessary to ensure the safety of West Monroe residents and visitors.

In an effort to minimize these issues, the West Monroe Fire Department is working with the City’s Water Department to expedite the process. Specific testing locations will be posted daily to the West Monroe Fire Department and City of West Monroe Facebook pages.

For more information, please call Interim Fire Chief Charlie Simmons at the West Monroe Fire Department at (318) 397- 0758.