Transcript (en)

Why do firefighters waste so much water on purpose? The truth is, they're doing it on purpose. Because when a fire hydrant sits unused for a long time, rust, dirt, and sediment slowly build up inside the pipes. Most of the time, you can't see any of it. But when a real fire happens, that's when it becomes a serious problem. If the pipe gets blocked or the water pressure isn't strong enough, once the fire truck connects to the hydrant, the water may not spray far enough at all. That's why workers regularly open fire hydrants and let the water run. They use the strong flow to flush out all the buildup inside. But this step isn't just about cleaning the pipes. They're also testing the whole system. Is the water pressure enough? Will the valve get stuck? Can the hydrant still work when it's needed? Some residents even notice that after the flushing is done, the tap water at home actually looks cleaner. That's because the dirty buildup inside the water lines has already been flushed out. You may think they're wasting water, but really they're finding problems early. Let the water run once on a normal day, and when it really matters, it might help save an entire house.