[fdpaq0580]

Hydrants need testing and maintenance. Flushing water will drain to the retention ponds. Fine!
BUT, why wait for drought condition and the end of snowbird season to do it? Why not do it when rainy season can replenish the water supply and the local population will be less impacted?
In other words, why NOW?

[Altavia]

To put things in perspective, Flushing hydrants is insignificant compared to evaporation rates from all our retention ponds.

Talking to ChatGPT:

⚖️ Evaporation Perspective vs hydrant flushing

* ~500 ponds (midpoint estimate)
* ~1 acre average size
* ~10,000 gallons/day evaporation each

������ System-wide evaporation:

≈ 5 million gallons per day

⸻

For typical Villages ponds behind homes or along typical Villages ponds behind homes or along streets:

* One hydrant flush: ~20,000 gallons
* Entire Villages pond system (daily evaporation):

������ Evaporation is Equivalent to ~250 hydrant flushes PER DAY


Smaller Neighborhood retention ponds:

Typical size:

* 0.5 – 1.5 acres
* 2,000 – 6,000 m²

Daily evaporation (your conditions ~85°F, sun):

* ~8,000 – 12,000 gallons/day

������ That’s roughly:

* 1 hydrant flush every 1–3 days (volume equivalent), per retention pond.


⛳ Golf course / large ponds

These serve drainage + irrigation storage.

Typical size:

* 3 – 10+ acres
* 12,000 – 40,000+ m²

Daily evaporation:

* 25,000 – 80,000+ gallons/day

������ That’s:

* 1–3 full hydrant flushes EVERY DAY per pond.


. . .

As mentioned earlier, if they flush into a storm drain, likely at least 80% of that water returns to a retention pond.

[fdpaq0580]

[QUOTE=Altavia;2506686]To put things in perspective, Flushing hydrants is insignificant compared to evaporation rates from all our retention ponds.
[QUOTE]

All very interesting. But, during a drought, ANY unnecessary discharge is, at the very least, bad optics.
The consumer sees the water restrictions, increase in costs, threats of fines. Meanwhile, they (we) see the "preciou " water flooding down the street from hydrants and into the drains where @20% will not make it back to the retention ponds.
Different perspective is every drop wasted by anyone or any entity is a drop too many.

[darkim]

Take some advice from California wildfires. Better to flush hydrants than to find your hydrant dried up or is frozen before the dry season really gets worse. Unless you want to rush into a burning house or digging trenches in a wildfire, you should hold your comments to yourself.

[Rimshot]

Originally Posted by HomerSimpson

Pools are a good source of water for this job. Shut down the pools and pump the water into the hydrant system! Chlorine will help keep them clean longer too, so you can skip the next flush.

That is a horrible idea!

You NEVER introduce non potable water into your potable system.

Do you want pool water coming out of your kitchen sink?

[Mrmean58]

Originally Posted by fdpaq0580

Hydrants need testing and maintenance. Flushing water will drain to the retention ponds. Fine!
BUT, why wait for drought condition and the end of snowbird season to do it? Why not do it when rainy season can replenish the water supply and the local population will be less impacted?
In other words, why NOW?

Why NOW? During a drought? Oh I don't know. Let's ask the people of Pacific Palisades who had non operational hydrants during their drought 16 months ago. Or the people of Lahaina during their drought. Sure there were other issues but hydrants was one of them.

[TVTVTV]

Originally Posted by Mrmean58

Why NOW? During a drought? Oh I don't know. Let's ask the people of Pacific Palisades who had non operational hydrants during their drought 16 months ago. Or the people of Lahaina during their drought. Sure there were other issues but hydrants was one of them.

How often were the Pacific Palisdes hydrants tested? Likely not annually. Waiting a few months when rainy season is here would have minimal impact. The county must not want to juggle their scheduled maintenance and disrupt employee tasks. I wonder if they pay the 5% surcharge for the hundreds of thousands of gallons of water used at perhaps 25 minutes per hydrant...

[TroubleMaker!]

Hydrants are flushed for a few reasons.
1- to remove sediment from the line. The accumulated sediment damages the fire equipment.
2- to ensure that the hydrant is operating properly. Do you really want to find out that you have a supply problem during a fire, in the middle of the drought ?

[fdpaq0580]

Originally Posted by TroubleMaker!

Hydrants are flushed for a few reasons.
1- to remove sediment from the line. The accumulated sediment damages the fire equipment.
2- to ensure that the hydrant is operating properly. Do you really want to find out that you have a supply problem during a fire, in the middle of the drought ?

1. Yes!
2. Yes!
Flush system before the drought, when water supply is at it's peak, not at it's lowest when any depletion could have a possible negative impact on being able to fight a fire!

[mtdjed]

There are of misconceptions in this Thread regarding flushing Fire Hydrants.

First is calling it Flushing Fire Hydrants. Fire Hydrants are a tool used to flush the potable water system which is required by regulation.

All Villages potable water comes from the Aquifer.

Flushing of drains is not related to flushing of Potable Water Systems.

Flushing of Potable water systems is not a choice but rather a Federal and State requirement.
"Annual flushing of a potable water distribution system is a critical maintenance practice designed to protect water quality, ensure public health, and maintain system performance.
Over time, especially during low water demand periods, water in mains can stagnate. This stagnant water can harbor sediment, biofilm, and corrosion products, which'" can affect taste, odor, and safety U.S. Environmental Protection Agency+1. Flushing removes these deposits and reduces “water age, improving water quality."

While performed by fire department, it is not primarily for Fire Hydrant service
Information about Public Water Systems | US EPA.

Retention Ponds are not necessarily for storing water. Some are dry (Picture the dry one at the American Legion). Some are wet and are supposedly designed to collect water runoff from a large enough area, to maintain water to support fish and other wildlife. Some in The Villages are designed to support our non-potable irrigation water requirements. A primary function is to provide storm water detention and prevention of run off damage. Droughts can impact water available. Not a big issue during cold seasons because of limited needs. Retention Ponds in Florida: Your 2025 Guide and Laws

[fdpaq0580]

Originally Posted by mtdjed

There are of misconceptions in this Thread regarding flushing Fire Hydrants.

First is calling it Flushing Fire Hydrants. Fire Hydrants are a tool used to flush the potable water system which is required by regulation.

All Villages potable water comes from the Aquifer.

Flushing of drains is not related to flushing of Potable Water Systems.

Flushing of Potable water systems is not a choice but rather a Federal and State requirement.
"Annual flushing of a potable water distribution system is a critical maintenance practice designed to protect water quality, ensure public health, and maintain system performance.
Over time, especially during low water demand periods, water in mains can stagnate. This stagnant water can harbor sediment, biofilm, and corrosion products, which'" can affect taste, odor, and safety U.S. Environmental Protection Agency+1. Flushing removes these deposits and reduces “water age, improving water quality."

While performed by fire department, it is not primarily for Fire Hydrant service
Information about Public Water Systems | US EPA.

Retention Ponds are not necessarily for storing water. Some are dry (Picture the dry one at the American Legion). Some are wet and are supposedly designed to collect water runoff from a large enough area, to maintain water to support fish and other wildlife. Some in The Villages are designed to support our non-potable irrigation water requirements. A primary function is to provide storm water detention and prevention of run off damage. Droughts can impact water available. Not a big issue during cold seasons because of limited needs. Retention Ponds in Florida: Your 2025 Guide and Laws

So, fire hydrants are potable water? Which comes from the aquafer? Which is affected by the drought?

[CybrSage]

California stopped "wasting water" and then a large percentage of the fire hydrants failed to work and many homes burned

[CybrSage]

Originally Posted by fdpaq0580

Different perspective is every drop wasted by anyone or any entity is a drop too many.

The water is not being wasted, unless one consideration safety to be a waste.

Same type of person disconnects smoke alarms when they beep instead of wasting another battery and does not throw away expired food so as not to waste food...

[CybrSage]

Originally Posted by Mrmean58

Why NOW? During a drought? Oh I don't know. Let's ask the people of Pacific Palisades who had non operational hydrants during their drought 16 months ago. Or the people of Lahaina during their drought. Sure there were other issues but hydrants was one of them.

What day will the drought end so they can perform safety maintenance?

Be specific.

[CybrSage]

Originally Posted by TVTVTV

How often were the Pacific Palisdes hydrants tested? Likely not annually. Waiting a few months when rainy season is here would have minimal impact. The county must not want to juggle their scheduled maintenance and disrupt employee tasks. I wonder if they pay the 5% surcharge for the hundreds of thousands of gallons of water used at perhaps 25 minutes per hydrant...

Exactly what day will the drought end so they can plan the required safety maintenance?

Be specific.