Rockville’s annual water main flushing program is underway and will continue through late October as city crews work to maintain the water system and ensure fire hydrants are ready when needed. The city maintains approximately 180 miles of water mains, 4,100 valves and 1,300 fire hydrants, with flushing taking place on weekdays from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. in rotating districts across the city.
During the process, crews open hydrants and water valves in a specific sequence to remove sediment from water pipes and test the functionality of the system. Residents in affected areas may temporarily notice lower water pressure or discolored water, which the city says can usually be cleared by running the cold water tap for a few minutes.
The city also reminded residents that the different colors on fire hydrants serve an important purpose. While hydrant barrels are painted yellow for visibility, the tops indicate water flow rates for firefighters: red for less than 500 gallons per minute, orange for up to 999 gallons per minute, green for up to 1,499 gallons per minute and blue for 1,500 gallons per minute or more.
