A fully uncapped hydrant releases over 1,000 gallons of water a minute — compared to the 25 gallons per minute with the legal spray cap, or the 2.5 gallons per minute with a newer, low-flow shower head. In one minute’s time, it would take the equivalent number of the following household water devices to generate the same 1,000 gallons of water pumped every minute by a fully uncapped hydrant:
| 400 showers | 400 kitchen faucets |
| 20 loads of wash | 65–80 dishwasher loads |
| 100 garden hoses | 200 toilet flushes |
On a hot day, it is not uncommon to see more than one hydrant open on the same block. The cumulative loss of water in a single day can be staggering.
