The Covington Fire Department will perform annual testing of the city's 1,500 fire hydrants in October, including taking flow and pressure readings, flushing hydrants to remove sediment from water lines and performing routine maintenance.

Officer Brett Madsen said the testing is to ensure hydrants can be used in case of a fire.

Flushing also has the benefit of cleaning sediment from the water lines. While most of the sediment is released from the hydrant, some may continue on to homes and temporarily discolor water. If residents see the fire department flushing hydrants in their area, they should run their water until any leftover sediment has run its course, Madsen said.

Most hydrants are less than 500 feet apart, so depending on the flow rate, measured in gallons per minute, the fire department will know if it could need to use more than one hydrant to fight a fire. Any low flow rates are reported to the city's water department for repairs.

Residents can talk to firefighters during the flushing process or call the fire department at (770) 385-2100.