Water System
Engineering

Flow Testing

ESL conducts its own flow testing, ensuring accurate complete results.

Hydraulic calculations and modeling begin with fire hydrant flow test results. These results must be accurate and complete.  A flow test is a snap shot view of a water system, a way to confirm the real life operation of the tanks, pumps and water lines.   If you only get three numbers from a flow test, static pressure residual pressure and flow,  you do not have a complete test.

Flow tests should include all the following information:

• Hydraulic gradient of the system at the
• time of the test
• Low hydraulic gradient of the system
• Direction of municipal flow (determines effective
• point of test)
• Hydrant locations
• Number of outlets flowed
• Outlet size & exit coefficient
• Elevation of gauge hydrant
• Static pressure, before and after flow
• Residual pressure during test
• Pitot pressure during test
• Time and date of test
• Who conducted the test and who
• witnessed the test

Without this information you don’t have the tools to determine if the test is valid.  Why conduct a test, wasting water and money, if it’s not a complete view of the system you are testing?  And who wants to be responsible for designing a new system or system improvement based on uncertain results