FORT SMITH (KFSM) -- Firefighters in Fort Smith will begin testing fire hydrants throughout the city beginning Monday (March 7).
Battalion Chief Tery Graves said hydrants are tested by releasing, or "flushing," the water out. He said this enhances water quality and identifies malfunctions.
He said water may be cloudy, but it is not toxic.
"When we start flushing hydrants, if people are gonna wash their clothes, [they] might want to look at their water first," Graves said. "Wait a couple hours, run their cold water first, then run the hot water until the water clears up. They might want to wash a couple loads of colored clothes before they wash their white clothes."
There are more than 4,000 hydrants in Fort Smith. Below is the hydrant flushing schedule:
Second week of March: South side of Zero St.
Third week of March: Zero St. to South I
Last week of March: East side of Fort Smith
First week of April: North side of Fort Smith
Middle - end of April: Chaffee Crossing area