By Greg Metz, KRWA Circuit Rider

Pressure testing fire hydrant with bleed valve.

ire hydrants are so family dwellings in accordance with

commonplace that they barely both of the following: 1) The 4
register in the public’s maximum distance to a fire hydrant
perception. But if hydrants are not from the closest point on the building
properly maintained, they could be shall not exceed 600 feet; and, 2) the
useless in an emergency. maximum distance between fire
Many essential tasks for good hydrants shall not exceed 800 feet.
maintenance of fire hydrants require NFPA 291 Guidance (2022 edition)
the attention of water system staff – recommends that fire hydrant flow
and fire officials. Regular testing and tests be performed every five years and
inspection of hydrants help ensure fire hydrant inspections be performed
good operability of hydrants. That annually.
helps maintain a favorable rating from Earlier water supplies for firefighting Painted puppy dog hydrant with Red
the fire department and insurance had to be kept in buckets and cauldrons top indicating less than 500 GPM flow.
providers and adds to the community’s ready for use by “bucket-brigades” or
perception of good preparedness. brought with a horse-drawn fire pump.

The NFPA Standard . . .

From the 16th Century, as wooden
mains water systems were installed,
5
The National Fire Prevention firefighters would dig down to the
Association (NFPA) is a global, non- pipes and drill a hole for water to fill a
profit organization that promotes safety “wet well” for the buckets or pumps. Line flushing
standards, education, training, and This had to be filled and plugged using a diffuser.
advocacy on fire and electrical-related afterwards. That is the origin of the
hazards. Established in 1896 as a way terminology “fire plug”.
to standardize the use of fire sprinkler In those early days, a marker would
systems, the NFPA’s scope grew to be left to indicate where a “plug” had
include building design, rescue already been drilled to enable
response, electrical codes, and other firefighters to find ready-drilled holes.
safety concerns. Later wooden systems had pre-drilled
The Fire Extinguisher Guide holes and plugs.
recommends that “fire hydrants shall When cast iron pipes replaced Main valve seat is removed
be provided for detached one- and two- wooden pipelines, permanent 6 for replacement.

NFPA 291 Guidance (2022 edition) recommends

that fire hydrant flow tests be performed
every five years and fire hydrant inspections
be performed annually.

1
Misachi, J. (2018, May 17). Who invented the fire hydrant? WorldAtlas. Retrieved October 1, 2022,
from https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/who-invented-the-fire-hydrant.html

84 THE KANSAS LIFELINE November 2022

 7 Hydrants should be flow tested at least every
five years. If there is concern about stirring
the water in the main lines up, flush enough to
clear out discolored water from the barrel and
supply line.
underground access points were same time, if it has one. The caps and
included for the firefighters. Some outlet nozzles should be inspected.
countries provide access covers to Over time, corrosion can make nozzle
these points. In contrast, others attach caps difficult to remove. Remove caps
fixed above-ground hydrants. during each inspection and clean them.
Orange ring under cap indicating a
According to “justia pattens”, the first Adding food-grade lubrication or anti-
flow of 500 to 999 GPM
cast iron hydrants were patented in seize to the nozzle and cap threads can
1801 by Frederick Graff, then chief help because of less effort in the future.
engineer of the Philadelphia Water I have seen nozzle caps stuck so bad
8 Works. Invention since then has
targeted problems such as tampering,
they would not have been operable in
an emergency. After exercising the
freezing, connection, reliability etc.1 hydrant, check it to ensure it is
There are presently eight major fire properly draining. This is especially
hydrant manufacturers that are most important in cold climates. A high
commonly used in the U.S. water table or clogged drain holes can
There are two types of hydrants: 1) cause water to accumulate in the fire
wet barrel; and, 2) dry barrel. The dry hydrant. This accumulated water can
barrel is what is used n Kansas. It has freeze, causing damage to the hydrant.
the main valve below ground. Drain This inspection can be done after
holes valve drain the water out of the flushing by holding your hand over the
barrel when not in use. Wet barrels are exposed nozzle to feel for small
commonly used in warmer climates amounts of suction. This signals that
This hydrant was buried too high. It where freezing is not a problem. the fire hydrant is draining correctly.
was hit by a truck; shifting the lower Proper maintenance is necessary for Some fire hydrants in areas with a
barrel. It did not break away because any waterworks device buried in the higher water table may have plugged
it hit the flange. ground for long periods such as fifty or drains. These need to be pumped after
more years. But unlike many of other use. A plumb bob can be lowered down
appurtenances, a fire hydrant that does the nozzle outlet to see if the water
Hydrant buried
9 too low.
not work when required can have grave
consequences. Too often, due to the
level drains adequately. A well sounder
will also serve this purpose.
lack of staff, fire hydrant maintenance The lubrication of the fire hydrant
is neglected in smaller communities. differs with the brand. Fire hydrants are
The best way to keep a fire hydrant typically greased or oil-filled. Without
in working order is to have a minimum proper lubrication, corrosion can occur,
annual testing and maintenance making the hydrant difficult or, in some
program. A good fire hydrant cases, impossible to operate. Follow the
maintenance program should include manufacturer’s instructions on
the following. It is a good practice to flush the
hydrant to clear any debris in the feed
Exercising, lubrication and line. KRWA staff members have seen
flushing many issues with large objects in the
Exercising a fire hydrant will ensure lines and obstructing the flow of
the hydrant will work properly when hydrants. Hydrants should be flow
needed. It is a good practice to exercise tested at least every five (5) years. If
the main valve on the feed line at the there is concern about stirring the water

THE KANSAS LIFELINE November 2022 85

 10 11 12

Common proper fire hydrant

installation graphic.

Pressure testing and checking

Hydrant would probably break away for leaks
but it would be difficult to repair A fire hydrant can be pressurized to
without digging it out. inspect for leaks. This is achieved by
removing a hydrant cap and operating
Bury depth marking on a fire hydrant.
in the main lines up, flush enough to the hydrant for a few turns. Another
clear out discolored water from the way I like to do it is to install a cap
barrel and supply line. Open the with a small valve to let the air escape joints can be inspected for leaks. A
hydrant only a few turns for a short with a pressure gauge. See photo 3. leaking hydrant can cause many issues,
time to clear the hydrant before Allow the hydrant barrel to fill until including soil erosion in areas with
pressure testing. Always be aware of a small amount of water comes out of poor drainage, accelerated corrosion,
flow direction when flushing and use a the nozzle. This allows for as much air and groundwater contamination.
diffuser when necessary not to cause to escape as possible. Replace the cap During the inspection, double check
unnecessary damage to yards or and fully open the hydrant. With the that the breakaway devices are not
landscaping. See photo 5. hydrant pressurized and all visible damaged. Depending on the age and
type of the fire hydrant, this feature
could be breakaway flanges or
breakaway bolts. Some fire hydrant
models do not have a breakaway
design. It is also important to inspect
the fire hydrant surroundings. Make
sure there are no obstructions hiding
the fire hydrant, like bushes or debris,
from firefighters. Homeowners
sometimes landscape around the
hydrants to hide it from their view or
with the best intentions of beautifying,
but with no maintenance, it can quickly
become difficult to find.

Bury depth of the fire hydrant

Most fire hydrants have a bury depth
marked on them. See photo 12. This is
very important to monitor. A fire
hydrant that has the incorrect height
above the groundline can result with
serious consequences if hit by a
vehicle. A hydrant buried too low can
result with the hydrant not breaking as
designed, and to minimize damage to
the water system and to what collided

86 THE KANSAS LIFELINE November 2022

with the hydrant. See photo 9. Most all Hydrant Class Color Gallons per Minute (GPM)
fire hydrants are designed to break at a
specific point and then be able to be Class AA Blue 1500 or more
repaired at a minimal cost. A hydrant Class A Green 1000–1499
that is set too high may allow for a Class B Orange 500–999
vehicle to impact the lower barrel.
Improper fire hydrant height can cause Class C Red Less than 500
not only more damage to the vehicle
during a collision but also damage Purple is the color for non-potable but I with the performance and longevity of
water piping systems. See photos 8 and would also make sure it is signed. the hydrant.
11. A fire hydrant should be buried so No shortcuts should be taken when it
Maintain good records! comes to maintaining fire hydrants
the breakaway flange is just above the
Record keeping can impact the because they have a critical function and
ground, allowing room to get a wrench
Insurance Service Organization (ISO) need to perform at a moment’s notice.
on the bottom bolts. This hydrant
rating in your city. A good rating can Still, the most common cause of failure
shown in the nearby photo would have
help reduce fire insurance costs. A is the lack of a proactive preventative
to be dug out around the flange to work
municipality must know which maintenance program. Municipal crews
on it. See photo 10.
hydrants have been repaired/inspected with solid maintenance programs will
Colors – what do they signify? or need to be repaired/inspected or be have fewer repairs and more reliable
I have seen all sorts of different replaced. This is an essential part of hydrants.
paint jobs on fire hydrants. See any maintenance and inspection Generally speaking, the mechanics of
photo 4. Although there is nothing program. It is also imperative that any fire hydrants have not changed that
wrong with this it should have a issue discovered during an inspection much, so once an operator has a good
marking of what flow it is capable of. is repaired promptly. grasp of the basics, the operator will be
There are many options like this one, set for a long time. Most manufacturers
No shortcuts to safety have a step-by-step document that walks
for example, just an orange ring under
Firefighters need to access fire operators through their model's fire
one of the caps. See photo 7.
hydrants quickly. The delay can be hydrant maintenance and inspection.
NFPA code 291 is designed so that
catastrophic if their wrenches and hoses Also, the “AWWA M17: Installation,
any firefighter can go anywhere in the
do not fit. Municipalities also need to Field Testing, and Maintenance of Fire
United States and know how much
ensure that when buying new hydrants, Hydrants” is an excellent resource, It
water they should expect from a
they have the similar threads and can be found on their website
particular fire hydrant based on its color.
operating nut size as other hydrants in www.awwa.org.
Colors are guidelines – not law the area. Hydrants with stainless steel
Unfortunately, this code is only a components will last longer and are
Greg Metz joined KRWA
guideline and not the law. This means better protected against corrosive soil
as a Technical Assistant in
that the agency or service that (hot soil). Proper thrust blocking and July 2009. He previously
maintains fire hydrants in each district installation of a drain field will also help worked at the city of
is not required to paint them in this Washington for 13 years
manner. In fact, it is estimated that only Firefighters need to where he was involved in
city utilities including the
half of districts paint hydrants
according to the code. Any hydrant that access fire hydrants power plant, streets, water
and wastewater. Greg holds a Class II
is not operational or no potable should quickly. Water Operator and a Class I Wastewater
be covered and or marked properly. Operator Certification.

Rural Water Specialty Co.

Signs and Markers
for the Utility & Pipeline Industry

CALL 918-446-1916
9710 W. 65th St. So.
Sapulpa, OK 74066-8852
Fax: 918-446-2770

THE KANSAS LIFELINE November 2022 87