Harbour Heights fire hydrant running for weeks, neighbors concerned

HARBOUR HEIGHTS, Fla. (WINK) — Water has been flowing continuously from a fire hydrant in Harbour Heights, raising concerns among residents. The hydrant, located at the intersection of Broadpoint Drive and Washington Street, has been leaking for weeks.

Joanna Saluco, who lives nearby, said, "It's never been turned off once yet, and I've watched."

Residents are worried about the impact of the leak, especially during a drought. Saluco expressed concerns about financial costs, environmental effects, and the potential for increased bugs.

"Top concerns are money, the environment, what it's going to do to us, because we're going to have bugs," said Saluco.

Robert Mallory, another neighbor, highlighted the extent of the water flow.

"It goes down two blocks, down Washington, down to Mike Street," said Mallory.

Mallory emphasized the seriousness of the drought, saying, "Severe, severe water drought. We can't have this kind of water being dumped."

A sign near the hydrant indicates "flushing in progress," but this explanation doesn't convince Mike Brown, a retired firefighter living nearby.

"This is not how you flush a fire hydrant. Flushing a fire hydrant, you flush it by opening it up fully, letting it run for a few hours, shutting it down, moving on to your next fire hydrant," said Brown.

Brown also warned of potential underground issues caused by the water seeping through "weep holes."

"All of that water is going out through those weep holes and creating a problem underground. So it's basically putting voids underground in the soil, which could cause a potential collapse of that specific spot," said Brown.

The situation has led to mud, mosquitoes, and unanswered questions for the neighborhood.

Neighbors have been informed that the leakage is part of draining a tank or emptying out the system. WINK News reached out to the Charlotte Harbor Water Association for clarification, but had not received a response at the time of reporting.

Stay tuned to WINK News for updates on this story as more information becomes available.