What do the different-colored fire hydrants in Wilmington and Wrightsville Beach mean?
All those colors aren’t for decorative purposes. They’re actually code for firefighters so they know certain things about the water sources. The system is fairly simple in Wrightsville Beach, according to Fire Chief Frank Smith. The fire hydrant colors denote the size of the water main that the hydrants are attached to, which determines the volume of water that is available from the hydrant. The larger the water main, the greater the flow rate that is available from the hydrant. Orange = 6-inch main; green = 8-inch main; and blue = 10- or 12-main. It’s a little more complicated in Wilmington. The following information comes from Assistant Chief Frank Blackley of the Wilmington Fire Department: The barrel of the hydrant is painted either red or silver to designate if the 2.5-inch threads are national standard or Wilmington threads. Threads are the point where a hose attaches to the hydrant. The City of Wilmington began using its own thread many years ago. When private water systems outs
