Hydrants : Why do some have orange caps?
Citizens may have noticed public works painting fire hydrants throughout the City; some hydrants have been painted with orange reflective caps.
For those who have wondered why:
Fire hydrants normally drain out through the bottom of the hydrant barrel after being shut off. Some hydrants were designed not to drain and must be pumped dry after use; this type of hydrant was installed in the earlier years when they system was first installed.
The orange reflective cap indicates which hydrants need to be manually pumped dry by public works or fire department crews during the winter freezing period.
This orange reflective cap aids the departments in recognizing those hydrants instantly.