Recent Rash of Unauthorized Hydrant Openings (Mostly in NE DC) Causes Concern [UPDATE: Suspect Arrested]

Someone had been going around NE DC this past week illegally opening fire hydrants and releasing 10s of thousands of gallons of water. Most recent today. So far 6 hydrants at 5 different locations. This video is 6th & H streets NE where water poured into @WholeFoods . @dcwater pic.twitter.com/KYIz458HX3

— Mark Segraves (@SegravesNBC4) September 10, 2018

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UPDATE

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MPD has arrested a suspect in the unauthorized opening of several fire hydrants in the District. Evan Lambert of Fox 5 tweeted news yesterday that 34-year-old Neema Kordestani had been arrested Monday night. According to the Washington Post there were incidents involving 20 hydrants over the span of a few days and Kordestani has been charged in connection with several incidents. He was actually caught in the act with a hydrant in the 500 block block of First Street NE. DCist has an interesting post shedding a little light on the suspect and perhaps hinting at possible motivation for the hydrant tampering.

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Mark Segraves of NBC 4 reported yesterday that an unknown person (or persons) appears to roaming portions of the District (mostly in Northeast), illegally opening fire hydrants, and then leaving the scene. Per Segrave it's happened at least six times so far at five locations. DCist is covering the story and got some interesting details from DC Water, and it sounds like there was at least one incident in August of someone doing this in Petworth (NW DC). The story also mentioned reports that someone is turning on water spigots outside homes and churches and then leaving.

Some guy just walked by w a wrench and opened the hydrant at H and 6th NE. @charlesallen @DDOTDC @311DCgov pic.twitter.com/qqtQLgvwiR

— Jill Cashen (@jillcashen) September 10, 2018

Both Segraves' video, and the one immediately above (courtesy of Jill Cashen), show water spewing yesterday from an illegally opened fire hydrant at Sixth and H Street NE across from the Whole Foods. The store reportedly took on a little unwanted water from the hydrant that blasted water with force sufficient to block traffic. In this case an unknown man with a wrench (DCist quotes a DC Water spokesman who said the man appeared to be wearing some sort of uniform) walked up, opened the hydrant, and took off on foot.

The unauthorized opening of a fire hydrant (they should only be opened by authorized DC Water employees or firefighters) is a crime and can cause serious problems. According to a DC Water list of top ten reasons not to DIY open a hydrant to beat the heat more than 1,800 gallons per minute of drinking water can spew from an open hydrant. The force can be enough to cause injury to anyone directly in the spray's path. If a hydrant is damaged during the illicit opening, or water gushing from an unexpectedly open hydrant causes a drop in water pressure, that can pose a serious problem for firefighters attempting to battle a blaze, endangering lives and property. The water itself could cause flooding problems at nearby homes and businesses and even undermine the structural integrity of nearby sidewalks and roads. If you spot what appears to be an unauthorized person opening a hydrant please call 911 to report it.