Fire Hydrant Inspection and Records Compliance: What Co-ops Need to Know
If you are a water co‑op operator in Rocky View County, you may have recently received a letter regarding fire hydrant compliance. It is important, not only for Rocky View County but for all Alberta water co‑ops, to understand hydrant requirements, what they mean for your co‑op, and how the Water Federation can help you achieve compliance.
Fire Hydrants vs. Flush Hydrants
Not all hydrants serve the same purpose, and the compliance requirements for each type of are quite different.
Fire hydrants are designed to deliver high volumes of water to support firefighting operations. Flush hydrants, by contrast, are not intended for firefighting. They are only intended for flushing distribution lines and preventing issues in the underground piping of the water system. In fact, all water systems are required to have a flush point at the end of the system to allow water to be run off, which is why flush hydrants are a standard feature of most water distribution systems.
Compliance Requirements
Fire hydrant inspection, testing and maintenance in Alberta is governed by NFPA 25, the standard for the inspection, testing and maintenance of water-based fire protection systems. In addition to this provincial standard, your local municipality may have its own bylaws and requirements that apply, so all water co-ops should confirm what applies in their area.
Fire hydrants must be inspected and flow tested annually, unless otherwise specified, with the flow tests confirming your system can deliver the flow rate required for firefighting operations. Records of all fire hydrant inspection, testing and maintenance work must be kept and made available to the relevant authorities.
Because flush hydrants are not part of active firefighting operations, they do not have the same compliance requirements as fire hydrants. However, they are still part of the fire water system and must be maintained.
As a first step, we encourage all co-ops to confirm the current status of their hydrants, including whether they are classified as fire hydrants or flush hydrants and whether you have up-to-date records.
Training Support from the Water Federation
The Water Federation is committed to helping our members meet hydrant compliance requirements. To support co-op operators in getting up to speed, the following AWWOA training courses are available and will be reimbursed by the Water Federation:
If you are interested in having your training costs covered, please visit our Training Funding webpage.
Don't Have the Capacity? Consider a Vendor
Not every co-op operator has the time or resources to handle compliance work internally. If that is your situation, there are many qualified vendors that can be hired to come to your co-op and complete the required fire hydrant inspection and flow testing, along with all associated documentation.
The Water Federation has compiled a list of vendors we have worked with in the past for this type of work. Contact our office for the most up-to-date vendor list.