CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- West Virginia American Water is repainting more than 5,700 fire hydrants across the state in hopes to improve their visibility and appearance.

The $240,000 system-wide project kicked off last week and will continue over the next several weeks in 11 counties.

Officials say the project is important because it will help fire departments identify the location of hydrants more quickly in emergency situations.

State fire officials also say all West Virginians have a responsibility for helping keep their communities safe from fire, including knowing the location and conditions of fire hydrants in their area.

West Virginia American Water says it operates and checks each of its more than 9,000 fire hydrants annually to ensure proper functionality. But in some cases, their appearance has not been improved in years.