CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Following a report of fire hydrants on the city’s west side producing insufficient flows for firefighters, West Virginia American Water met with the city of Charleston and the Charleston Fire Department on how to address the concerns.
Fire crews responded to a house fire Friday, May 5, where there were three fire hydrants that could not produce a flow of water needed to take care of the fire.
After an investigation was conducted Monday, the three hydrants, which last underwent inspection in July 2022, were put out of service until further notice.
Charleston Mayor Amy Shuler Goodwin said the meeting between the city, West Virginia American Water, and the Charleston Fire Department was a productive one.
“It was a good meeting, but we got a long way to go from here,” Goodwin said.
The mayor said testing will be done on not only the three faulty fire hydrants, but also hydrants throughout the city.
The Charleston Fire Department has also added a water tanker truck to supply proper water suppression in the city’s west side, according to the mayor.
West Virginia American Water released a statement Tuesday:
“Following today’s meeting, West Virginia American Water is committed to working alongside the City of Charleston and the Charleston Fire Department to remedy any issues with the three fire hydrants of concern and have them back into service as soon as possible. Additionally, the company will work closely with the Charleston Fire Department to identify any additional fire hydrants on 4 water mains and conduct flow testing to determine their efficiency in the event of an emergency. Any fire hydrant found to produce insufficient flow for firefighting will be repaired, replaced or otherwise mitigated.”
Since 2017, the water company has invested over $21 million in infrastructure upgrades throughout the city.