City, Firefighters plan to flush Havres hydrants

For the upcoming month, Havre residents shouldn't be alarmed that their water is murky. The Havre Fire Department is beginning its annual check of the city's 400 fire hydrants to measure water flow and see if the equipment is in proper working condition. The hydrant tests stir up sediment in the pipes and make the water murky in some areas, Assistant Fire Chief Tim Ranes said. The Fire Department wants to have all 400 hydrants checked by the end of October unless the weather is too cold. The hydrants couldn't be checked last year because of problems with the city's water treatment plant, Ranes said. The Fire Department will check the fire hydrants between 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. for the next month. The department will start checking hydrants tonight at the west end of First Street to Fifth Avenue. Tuesday night the department expects to check hydrants from the west end of Second Street to Fifth Avenue. It will continue in that order through the week, Ranes said.