DEP Advisory Report Open Hydrants Opening fire hydrants without sprinkler caps is wasteful and dangerous. Illegally opened hydrants can lower water pressure, which can cause problems at hospitals and other medical facilities and hinder fire-fighting by reducing the flow of water to hoses and pumps. Children can also be at serious risk, because the powerful force of an open hydrant without a sprinkler cap can push them into oncoming traffic.Call 311 to report an open hydrant. Hydrants can be opened legally if equipped with a City-approved sprinkler cap. One illegally opened hydrant wastes up to 1,000 gallons of water per minute, while a hydrant with a sprinkler cap only puts out around 25 gallons per minute. Visit your local firehouse to have a sprinkler cap installed.

		Open Hydrants are DangerousIllegally opened hydrants can lower water pressure, hindering fire-fighting by reducing the flow of water to hoses and pumps.
		Sprinkler Caps Save WaterVisit your local firehouse and they will install a sprinkler cap and open the hydrant for use.
		Report Open Hydrants - Call 311To report an improperly opened fire hydrant call 311.