Fire Hydrant Inspections

The 19,000 fire hydrants located within the City of Seattle are maintained and repaired by Seattle Public Utilities and are inspected by the Seattle Fire Department. Firefighters inspect all fire hydrants across the City on an annual basis to ensure they are working properly and will provide sufficient water when needed for fighting a fire. Inspecting hydrants can help save lives and protect property.

If you live near a fire hydrant that has recently been inspected, your drinking water may appear discolored for up to a few hours. This can happen when hydrant flushing changes the direction or rate of flow in a nearby water main. The discoloration comes from internal pipe rust and sediment getting stirred up.

If you notice discolored water, leave the cold water tap on for three minutes to check if it clears. Avoid using hot water. If it doesn’t clear, wait 1-2 hours before testing it again by running the cold water in your bathtub or shower.

If the water remains discolored, contact Seattle Public Utilities at (206) 386-1800. Free interpretation service is available when calling.

Inspections occur throughout the year between the hours of 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. and when the temperature is above 35 degrees. Hydrant inspections within neighborhoods is dependent on when the fire station is able to work it into their schedule in between emergency calls and training.