Will be from Monday to Friday

The Ironton Fire Department will be flushing the water systems around town by opening up fire hydrants, starting on Monday and going until Friday afternoon.

“We flush the water system for two reasons,” said Ryan Watts, the water plant superintendent. “One is to maintain water quality in the system and to keep fresh water in there. And the other reason is to do a fire hydrant function check.

That allows the fire department to know if there is any issue with flow or if any of the hydrants need repaired.”

Watts said it was similar to flushing out your home water heater once or twice a year.

“It is just to remove natural sediments that form from rust from iron pipes,” he said.

It is that sediment that will lead some people to see temporarily discolored water after the system is flushed. Watts said the only time you don’t see discolored water is if all the pipes in the system are plastic.

“But, where Ironton has basically 100-year-old pipes in the ground, anytime there is a hydrant opened or a water break, the people in that local area will have discolored water,” he said. “But it is just rust. The funny thing is that there is still chlorine residual in there, so the water is still safe, but it is aesthetically non-pleasing.”

The reason that the hydrant flushing schedule is released to the public is to let people know so they don’t wash white or brightly colored clothes when the water is discolored since it can lead to dingy-looking clothes. If that does happen,

Watts said people can go to the Water Department office at the City Center and they can get a free pack of a wash aid that removes the dingy look.

“It is a powder. It has all the mixing directions on the package. You just add it to the wash like you do laundry detergent,” he said.

Generally, the discolored water situation doesn’t last more than an hour, Watts said. He added the water is still safe to drink.

“I don’t think everyone will believe that statement, but it is true,” he said.

The days and the areas that hydrant flushing will be done is as follows:

Monday
• Indian Hills, Zenith Heights and Ohio 141 area, all of 13th Street to Adams Lane, GTL Lumber area, Liberty Avenue in the Ohio University area, 12th Street from Kemp Street to Wyanoke Street, 11th Street from Maple Street to Lorain Street, 10th Street from Washington Avenue to Lorain Street, and Ninth Street from Washington to Lorain Street.

Tuesday
• N. Ninth Street from Vernon Street to Center Street, Eighth Street from Vernon Street to Lawrence Street, Seventh Street from Vernon Street to Mill Street, and Sixth Street from Vernon Street to Vesuvius Street.
• S. Eighth Street from Quincy Street to Wyanoke Street, Depot Square area, Seventh Street from Washington Street to Wyanoke Street, and Sixth Street from Washington Street to Clinton Street.

Wednesday
• N. Fifth Street from Washington to N. Fifth Street extension, Rock Avenue, Fourth Street from Vernon Street to Sycamore Street. S. Fifth Street from Jefferson Street to Lorain Street, and Fourth Street from Adams to Kemp Avenue.

Thursday
• N. Third Street from Vernon Street to Sycamore Street, and Second Street from Vernon Street to Sycamore Street, and Sewer Plant, S. Fourth Street from Jones Street to Wyanoke Street, Third Street from Washington Street to 3700 block of Third Street, and Second Street from Adams Street to Monroe Street.

Friday
• Second Street and Quincy to Dayton Lane, Bobby Bare Boulevard to First Street and Mastin Street, Green Valley area and N. Second Street from Orchard Street to Hanging Rock.

Saturday
• Food Fair Mall area, Yellow Branch/Deep Cut Road area and Storms Creek area.