Hydrant Maintenance Regulations

The BC Fire Code and the NFPA 291 outline the requirements for fire hydrant service and maintenance.

NFPA 291 Recommended Practice for fire flow testing and marking of hydrants, 2016 Edition

NFPA 291 provides guidance on fire flow tests and marking of hydrants in order to determine and indicate the relative available fire service water supply from hydrants and to identify possible deficiencies which could be corrected to ensure adequate fire flows as needed.

BC FIRE CODE

Section 6.6.Water Supply Systems for Fire Protection

6.6.1.1. Maintenance

1) Water supplies for fire protection, including hydrants, shall be maintained so as to be capable of providing the flow and pressure of water for which they were designed.

6.6.1.2. Valve Inspections

1) Valves controlling water supplies to fire protection systems shall be inspected at intervals not greater than 7 days to ensure that they are wide open and are sealed or locked in that position.

6.6.1.3. Ice Accumulations

1) Water supply systems for fire protection shall be kept free of ice accumulations.

6.6.1.4. Antifreeze Solutions

1) Where antifreeze solutions are used to maintain pumping systems operable under freezing conditions, the specific gravity shall be such that the solution will remain unfrozen at a temperature not less than 8°C below the expected minimum temperature of the surrounding atmosphere.

6.6.1.5. Internal Scale and Rust

1) Water supply piping systems shall be cleaned and flushed when necessary to remove deposits of scale or rust that reduce the flow of water below that for which the piping is designed.

6.6.4.Hydrants

6.6.4.1.Maintenance

1) Hydrants shall be maintained in operating condition.

2) Hydrants shall be kept clear of obstructions and readily accessible for fire fighting use and their locations shall be clearly identified. (See Appendix A.)

6.6.4.2.Inspection Frequency

1) Hydrants shall be inspected at intervals not greater than 6 months and after each use in conformance with Article 6.6.4.4.

6.6.4.3.Records

1) Records of inspections and tests required in Article 6.6.4.2. shall be retained for examination by the authority having jurisdiction, in conformance with Article 1.1.1.6.

6.6.4.4.Inspections and Repairs

1) Hydrants shall be inspected to ensure that hydrant caps are in place and caps with worn, rusted or obstructed threads, which might hamper easy removal, shall be repaired or replaced.

2) Hydrant barrels shall be inspected to determine if water has accumulated as a result of a leaking main valve or a plugged or damaged drain valve.

3) Except as provided in Sentence (4), main valves which are leaking and drain valves which are plugged or damaged shall be repaired.

4) Where it is not practical to repair faulty drain valves or where drain valves are intentionally plugged, measures shall be taken to prevent the freezing of accumulated water.

6.6.4.5.Annual Flushing

1) Hydrants shall be flushed at intervals not greater than 12 months with the main valve and any outlet valves fully opened until the water runs clear.