Open Hydrants - A Serious Problem
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| Opening a fire hydrant is dangerous and illegal. |
Report open hydrants immediately to 1-866-403-2683.
On a hot summer day, a cold spray of water from a fire hydrant may seem awfully appealing. It's actually awfully dangerous for you, your neighbors, and especially for children. Water shoots from hydrants at very high pressure and can mean accidents and injuries.
Additionally, opening fire hydrants is illegal. As an example, the City of Oakland's Ordinance No. 12414 makes tampering with a fire hydrant punishable by up to six months in jail and/or a $1,000 fine.
Open hydrants also:
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Lower pressure in nearby homes and makes it harder to fight fires.
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Waste water which can mean water shortages, especially during droughts.
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Can damage the water system and increase water bills.
EBMUD is working hard to convince people to stop opening hydrants. We are educating school children about the problems of opened hydrants and are installing special locking caps. We are also working with fire departments to develop procedures for dealing with massive hydrant openings.