Winchester Municipal Utilities began its annual fire hydrant flushing this week.

The work is expected to take three to four weeks and conclude in the eastern portion of the county around April 26.

Some citizens lament the minor inconveniences this causes or seem to think this is just busy work for WMU, along with the Winchester and Clark County fire departments.

They are overlooking the importance of this annual project.

Flushings are necessary to ensure the quality of water and to test pressures of hydrant.

Both are extremely important. This proactive approach prevents a host of issues and ensures the entire system works as it is supposed to.

No one wants to find out the closest hydrant doesn’t work when it matters most.

WMU warns customers may experience discolored water for a short period of time during the course of the flushing work.

Customers who experience discolored water can flush their lines by running a faucet wide open for a few minutes in their home. Customers should also avoid washing clothes on the day when their street is scheduled for flushing to avoid any discoloration of clothing from the water.

For more information, call WMU at 744-5434.

Keeping our water system flowing strong is important work that could, one day, be the difference between life and death.