FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE01-23
June
28, 2001
Contact: Geoff Ryan
(718/595-6600)
Illegally
Opened Hydrants Cause Dangerously Low Water Pressure At Hospital
Illegally opened fire hydrants caused dangerously low water pressure at
the Allen Pavilion of Columbia-Presbyterian Hospital in the Inwood section
of Manhattan last night (Wednesday, June 27), according to Commissioner Joel
A. Miele Sr., P.E., of the New York City Department of Environmental Protection
(DEP).
"This is a classic example of how illegally opened hydrants can imperil
public safety," said Commissioner Miele. "Not only was an important
health care facility threatened with a lack of water, but fire fighting efforts
could have been seriously hindered by low water pressure in that neighborhood.
Open hydrants pose other threats as well. The powerful force of water from
a hydrant can sweep a child into oncoming traffic, and a single wide-open
hydrant can waste our precious water at a rate of a thousand gallons a minute
or more than a million gallons a day."
To cool off safely, if people can't get to the nearest City pool or beach,
they can contact their neighborhood firehouses and request a spray cap that
can be installed on a hydrant. Spray caps reduce flow from hydrants to 25
gallons a minute and allow children to play safely while they cool off under
the water.
Commissioner Miele said, "We ask that people report illegally opened
hydrants to DEP's 24-Hour Help Center at 718-DEP-HELP (718-337-4357)."