BETTER ASK BARRY: Bundled up fire hydrants

This is a case where you don’t notice something until someone mentions it … and then you can’t help but notice it.

David asks: “What’s with all the wrapped-up fire hydrants in Monterey?”

Well, we took a look and sure enough we found the hydrants.

Some are wrapped in plastic and labeled out of service — others look a bit worse for wear.

We weren’t sure why they were wrapped up or exactly how many there are.

“There’s nine hydrants,” said Chris Cook with Cal Am.

He says there’s nothing wrong with the hydrants. They’re actually new and tied into the new Monterey pipeline.

And while they may look like they’re shut down, they just haven’t come online yet.

“We’re waiting until the Monterey pipeline is disinfected and we have clean, safe drinking water, to take the bags off and operate them,” Cook said.

That should happen in early January and then, Monterey Fire will take control.

Both Cal Am and the City of Monterey say that no working hydrants have been taken down, and say the addition of nine new hydrants can’t help but improve fire response.

And that’s why some fire hydrants are wrapped up like the mummy.

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