The Thames-Coromandel District Council will be flow testing 20 fire hydrants in Whangamata today.

The council says they are carrying out the test in order to get an accurate picture of just how effective its water network is under full summer water usage.

The Thames-Coromandel District Council will be flow testing 20 fire hydrants in Whangamata today. Photo: File

'It may seem odd at first glance to see fire hydrant flow testing being done when the town is still under water restrictions,” says council.

'But we need to make sure our water distribution is still robust enough in case of emergencies, such as firefighting, even when it is under the peak loads of the summer season.”

The areas with highest water use during the day will be tested tonight instead.

The decision to undertake the tests was made after balancing the latest water usage in Whangamata with the weather and limited timeframes to test while the network is still under peak load.

Testing began at 11am this morning.