Annual City Fire Hydrant Testing April 28, 2019 – May 19, 2019

Staff report -- Fallon, Nev. -- If you live in the City of Fallon and over the next couple of weeks, notice that your tap water runs slightly discolored – do not fret. It will pass quickly by running a tap for a few minutes and will cause no danger. Every year, the City of Fallon and the Fallon/Churchill Volunteer Fire Department test the fire hydrants to ensure the system is functioning properly. The tests are run during the evenings in April and May.  The annual testing is vitally important to meet one of the many requirements that the Fire Department must complete in order to maintain the ISO Class 1 rating.  Maintaining an ISO Class 1 rating helps to reduce insurance rates that homeowners pay within the City. During this period of peak fire demand water testing, it is common for water users to experience discolored water.  The discoloration occurs due to abnormally high flows in the piping system, which can stir up small amounts of naturally occurring sediment. Although the water may be discolored, it has been properly treated and is entirely safe.  If the water is heavily discolored, you may wish to temporarily refrain from drinking or washing clothes.  After testing is complete, any discolored water in your home can usually be removed by flushing your water pipes for several minutes.  It is best to flush cold water from an outdoor hose bib or an interior bathtub fixture. City officials understand the inconvenience resulting from this vitally important fire flow testing of our water system, but agree the benefits far outweigh any brief disruption.  If you have any questions, please contact the City Clerk’s Office at 423-5104.   Support local, independent news – contribute to The Fallon Post, your non-profit (501c3) online news source for all things Fallon. Sign up to receive updates and the Friday File email notices.