Greater Cincinnati Water Works (GCWW) and the Cincinnati Fire Department (CFD) would like to provide information about the fire hydrant flow testing being conducted within City of Cincinnati neighborhoods.

As part of this effort, approximately 2,400 hydrants will be tested in August and September by the contractor, Hydromax USA. The remainder of the city’s 14,000 hydrants will be tested by CFD personnel and additional contractors later this fall and in 2021. While the goal is to complete testing within a 2-week period, testing schedules may go longer depending on weather and accessibility.

This project will provide valuable flow and condition assessment data on the water system and fire hydrants and will help prioritize maintenance and infrastructure replacement needs. The data collected will also provide more information for firefighting planning and operational purposes.

Following is the schedule for August and September.

Various areas within these neighborhoods will be tested.  Door hangers will be left at houses and businesses in each area as testing occurs, to notify them about the testing process.

Week of             Areas

8/3/2020             Bond Hill, Hartwell, West Price Hill
8/17/2020           Madisonville, Hyde Park
8/24/2020           Villages at Roll Hill/South Cumminsville, Pleasant Ridge, Evanston
8/31/2020           Kennedy Heights, East Price Hill
9/7/2020             East Price Hill, Lower Price Hill, Westwood
9/14/2020           Mount Auburn, Hyde Park, East Walnut Hills, Evanston, O'Bryonville, Columbia Tusculum,  
                           Walnut Hills
9/21/2020           College Hill, Hyde Park, Columbia Tusculum, East End, Westwood
9/28/2020           Pleasant Ridge, Madisonville, Walnut Hills
10/5/2020           Northside, Mount Airy

GCWW consistently meets or exceeds water quality standards, and your water is safe to drink. However, during a high-volume flush such as happens during a fire hydrant flushing, the water can become discolored (reddish). If the water in your tap is discolored, it is likely from rust and, to a lesser extent, other materials being dislodged from the cast iron water mains during the testing process. This condition is temporary. 

While the discolored water may not make you sick, GCWW recommends customers do not drink the water if it is discolored, due to possible contaminants being present. Rust itself is not a health concern, but the rust can also react with and eliminate the chlorine that is in the water as a disinfectant to prevent the growth of bacteria. People probably will not become ill if they drink the water, but with the absence of a disinfectant residual and the possible presence of other material, it is best to avoid drinking discolored water.

GCWW will flush the water following the testing, but if your water is discolored, please run water from the tap for a few minutes until it becomes clear again. If the water remains discolored for longer than a few hours, please notify GCWW Customer Service at 513.591.7700.

Both GCWW and CFD are committed to ensuring best-in-class service to residents and customers.
These efforts enable the City of Cincinnati to maintain an Insurance Services Office (ISO) Class 2 rating (1 being the top rating), which puts the city in the top 5% in Ohio. Cities around the country are periodically rated on fire protection capability, and GCWW assists CFD in the rating process. Additionally, GCWW follows standard practices as defined by the American Water Works Association (AWWA) Manual of Water Supply Practices, Distribution System Requirements for Fire Protection.

Through the combined efforts of GCWW and CFD, the City of Cincinnati will continue to keep our residents and businesses safe by providing high quality, safe drinking water, and fire protection services.