In a desire to be informative to Newport residents, the Newport MUD board of directors will be publishing articles concerning the district. The purpose behind these articles is to inform residents about how the district works. Former boards have a history of being reactive to the needs of Newport in a desire to keep cost down. The district is coming into its 50th year, as a result of the challenges being presented, the current board believes in being proactive in its thinking by establishing a maintenance protocol and to comply with the mandated laws effective in 2025.
The article this month is concerning our Fire Hydrants. In 2019, all 399 fire hydrants in Newport have been evaluated. Previously, the hydrants were checked intermittently or when a problem arose. It’s a great feeling to have the confidence knowing exactly where we are with each hydrant. The hydrants are part of an annual maintenance program moving forward.
The hydrants were pressure tested and all three caps were removed, cleaned and greased. Hydrant valves were tested for leaks and ease of operation. Upon completion of the testing, hydrants were prepped, and a fresh coat of red paint was applied. The top of the hydrants was painted green, which signifies the hydrant flows 1000-1400 gallons per minute (gpm). There were 11 hydrants that had issues, including 5 that were painted black and had to be replaced. The Crosby Volunteer Fire Department was notified of the hydrants that were not functional and were marked for easy identification indicating those hydrants were “out of service”. All hydrants have been fully operational as of November 2019. Each hydrant has a plate with its number attached and blue reflective tape has been applied. This has been done to help the Crosby Volunteer Fire Department locate the hydrants at night.
Working in cooperation with the Crosby Volunteer Fire Department, when the need arises to utilize the hydrants, a representative from Professional Utility Services, which is the operator of our water facility, will be on site to assist the Fire Department to make sure the hydrants perform as expected.
