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WUSA9’s Dave Statter reported yesterday that a hydrant outside Peggy Cooper Cafritz‘s burning home was coded to indicate that it received 1500 gallons-per-minute (gpm) of water. In actuality, it can receive “a little more than 300 gpm,” he writes.
The mistake was not noted in last week’s report about the blaze. But today, it has been remarked for its true capability:
Today the hydrant is marked in red, indicating it is at the lowest tier of a scale rating city hydrants by water flow, instead of its previous designation that put it at the highest level. WASA Spokesperson Michelle Quander Collins admits this was a case of human error, but she does not believe it indicates a systemic problem in WASA’s hydrant testing program.