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ATTLEBORO - The driver whose car sheared off a fire hydrant Monday, sending a geyser of water 30 feet into the air and flooding the 200 block of Tiffany Street, faces far more than automotive repairs.

That's just the start, city officials say.

The water department is still tallying the cost to the city, which Water Superintendent Christine Millhouse said will be charged to the driver's auto insurance.

A new hydrant costs about $1,500, but added to that will be costs for labor, trenching and other expenses - and none of them comes cheap.

The water department does not yet have an estimate of how much water was lost, but according to the National Fire Protection Association, hydrants are sized to flow at a minimum rate of 1,500 gallons per minute. And it doesn't stop there.

Several hydrants were flushed and left running by the water department Monday night to clear debris from neighborhood water mains. Water quality has since returned to normal, Millhouse said Tuesday.

"When something like this happens, there's increased velocity going through the pipes, which scours the inside of the pipes," she said. "Inside, there is a layer of rust-like material that then goes into the water, causing it to discolor.

"There are no known health effects caused by the rust, but it makes the water unpleasing, especially for drinking or doing laundry, she said.

The fire department said it was essential to replace the damaged fire hydrant as quickly as possible.

"Based on city ordinance, there is a hydrant every 500 feet," fire Capt. Al Murrant said. "But a lot of the time, there's a problem with a hydrant and it isn't working correctly - even if it appears to be fine - and that compounds the problem.

"It's important to replace the hydrant because it may be another 500 feet or more to go and lay the hose, which is a time delay," he said.