Designing Water & Hydrant Systems; Part 9 © 2000 Capt. Willis Lamm, Water Supply Officer, Moraga-Orinda (CA) Fire District Background    Criteria    Storage    Distribution    Hyd. Design    Placement    Installation    Codes & Markings    Applications    Codes & Standards

Applicable Uniform Fire Code (UFC) Sections The following sections taken from the Uniform Fire Code, 1997 edition, either contain references to fire hydrants and fire hydrant systems or are referenced by other sections that address fire hydrants and fire hydrant systems. SECTION 901 -- GENERAL 901.1 Scope. Fire department access and water supply shall be in accordance with Article 9. 901.2 Permits and Plans 901.2.1 Permits. A permit is required to use or operate fire hydrants or valves intended for fire-suppression purposes which are installed on water systems and are accessible to public highways, alleys or private ways open to or generally used by the public. See Section 105. Permit f.1. 901.2.2. Plans. 901.2.2.2 Fire Hydrant Systems Plans and specifications for fire hydrant systems shall be submitted to the fire department for review and approval prior to construction. 901.4 Required Marking of Fire Apparatus Access Roads, Addresses and Fire-Protection Equipment. 901.4.3 Fire-protection equipment and fire hydrants. Fire-protection equipment and fire hydrants shall be clearly identified in an approved manner to prevent obstruction by parking and other obstructions.      When required by the chief, hydrant locations shall be identified by the installation of reflective markers.      See also Section 1001.7. SECTION 903 -- WATER SUPPLIES AND FIRE HYDRANTS 903.1 General. Water supplies and fire hydrants shall be in accordance with Sections 901 and 903. 903.2 Required Water Supply for Fire Protection. An approved water supply capable of supplying required fire flow for fire protection shall be provided to all premises upon which facilities, buildings or portions of buildings are hereafter constructed or moved into or within the jurisdiction. When any portion of the facility or building protected is in excess of 150 feet (45.72m) from a water supply on a public street, as measured by an approved route around the exterior of the facility or building, on-site fire hydrants and mains capable of supplying the required fire flow shall be provided when required by the chief. See section 903.4. 903.4 Fire Hydrant Systems. 903.4.1 General. 903.4.1.1 Applicability. Fire hydrant systems and fire hydrants shall be in accordance with section 903.4. 903.4.1.2 Testing and maintenance. Fire hydrant systems shall be subject to such periodic tests as required by the chief. Fire hydrant systems shall be maintained in an operative condition at all times and shall be repaired where defective. Additions, repairs, alterations and servicing shall be in accordance with approved standards. 903.4.1.3 Tampering and obstruction See Sections 1001.6 and 1001.7. 903.4.2 Required installations. The location, number and type of fire hydrants connected to a water supply capable of delivering the required fire flow shall be provided on a public street or on the site of the premises or both to be protected as required and approved. See Appendix III-B.      Fire hydrants shall be accessible to the fire department apparatus by roads meeting the requirements of Section 902.2. 903.4.3 Protection, marking and obstruction of hydrants. Fire hydrants subject to possible vehicular damage shall be adequately protected with guard posts in accordance with Section 8001.11.3. For marking, see Section 901.4.3. For obstruction see Section 1001.7. 903.4.4 Maintenance and Use of Hydrants. See Sections 1001.5 and 1001.6.2. 1001.4 Installation Acceptance Testing. Fire alarm systems; fire hydrant systems; fire extinguishing systems, standpipes, and other fire protection systems and appurtenances thereto shall meet the approval of the fire department as to installation and location and shall be subject to such acceptance tests as required by the chief. 1001.5 Maintenance, Inspection, Testing and Systems Out of Service 1001.5.1 Maintenance. Fire sprinkler systems, fire hydrant systems, standpipe systems, fire alarm systems, portable fire extinguishers, smoke and heat ventilators, smoke removal systems, and other fire protective or extinguishing systems or appliances shall be maintained in an operative condition at all times and shall be replaced or repaired where defective.      Fire-protection or fire extinguishing systems coverage and spacing shall be maintained according to original installation standards. Such systems shall be extended, altered, or augmented as necessary to maintain and continue protection whenever any building so equipped is altered, remodeled or added to. Additions, repairs, alterations and servicing shall be in accordance with recognized standards. 1001.5.2 Inspection and testing. The chief is authorized to require periodic inspection and testing for fire sprinkler systems, fire hydrant systems, standpipe systems, fire alarm systems, portable fire extinguishers, smoke and heat ventilators, smoke removal systems and other fire-protection or fire-extinguishing systems or appliances.      Automatic fire extinguishing systems shall be inspected and tested at least annually. See Appendix III-C. Fire alarm systems shall be inspected and tested at least at frequencies specified in UFC Standard 10-2. Standpipe systems shall be inspected and tested at least every five years.      Reports of inspections and tests shall be maintained on the premises and made available to the chief when requested. 1001.5.3. Systems out of Service. The chief shall be notified when any required fire-protection system is out of service and on restoration of service. 1001.6 Tampering with Fire-protection Equipment, Barriers, Security Devices, Signs and Seals. 1001.6.1 Fire department property. Apparatus, equipment and appurtenances belonging to or under the supervision and control of the fire department shall not be molested, tampered with, damaged or otherwise disturbed unless authorized by the chief. 1001.6.2 Fire hydrants and fire appliances. Fire hydrants and fire appliances required by this code to be installed or maintained shall not be removed, tampered with or otherwise disturbed except for the purpose of extinguishing fire, training, recharging or making repairs, or when allowed by the fire department. When a fire appliance is removed as herein allowed, it shall be replaced or reinstalled as soon as the purpose for which it was removed has been accomplished. 1001.7 Obstruction and Impairment of Fire Hydrants and Fire-Protection Equipment. 1001.7.1 General Posts, fences, vehicles, growth, trash, storage and other materials or things shall not be placed or kept near fire hydrants, fire department inlet connections or fire department control valves in a manner that would prevent such equipment or fire hydrants from being immediately discernible. The fire department shall not be deterred or hindered from gaining access to fire-protection equipment or hydrants. 1001.7.2 Clear space around hydrants. A 3-foot (.9144m) clear space shall be maintained around the circumference of fire hydrants except as otherwise required or approved. 1001.8 Marking of Fire-protection Equipment and Fire Hydrants. Fire-protection equipment and fire hydrants shall be clearly identified in an approved manner to prevent obstruction by parking and other obstructions. See also Section 901.4.3. NFPA 291 Marking of Fire Hydrants. Bonnets and caps shall be coded as follows: COLOR CLASS AVAILABLE FLOW @ 20 p.s.i. residual BLUE AA 1500 GPM or more GREEN A 1000-1499 GPM ORANGE B 500-999 GPM RED C Below 500 GPM

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