Fire Hydrant Replacement Program Begins

IRONWOOD, MI - Wednesday, August 20, 2008 - Ironwood's Fire Hydrant Replacement Program began yesterday on East Pine Street and continued until late into the night.

Ross Peterson had the lowest bid of $107,249.50 on the project to replace twenty hydrants throughout the City. The goal is to yearly replace twenty of the worst hydrants to stay ahead of the game. The City has between 400 and 450 hydrants. Currently Hydrants cost roughly $3,000 each.

The last day to complete installation of the hydrants is September 30, 2008. Replacing twenty fire hydrants per year over five years will cost taxpayers over $1.5 million. This is a needed program, however. Too many times IPSD and IVFD officers have gone  to use various hydrants throughout the City only to discover that they don't work. During a fire, timing is everything. Every time a hydrant fails, it slows down the efforts of the department.

Working hydrants could save property and even lives.