Hydrant Maintenance and Assessment is an essential part of good Distribution System Management and being proactive to protect public welfare. Few things can harm a utility’s reputation so quickly as a fire hydrant that does not work in an emergency.
Annual system-wide hydrant maintenance can help to improve the utility’s ISO rating. It is also a visible sign to the public that the utility is “on the job” making sure fire hydrants are in working order to protect their property and personal safety. Annual hydrant maintenance can also play a vital part in maintaining water quality when incorporated into an organized flushing program. Our Hydrant Maintenance and Assessment program is designed to comply with AWWA standards and meet the requirements of oversight environmental agencies.
Mueller Service Company works to develop a comprehensive program that meets the individual needs of each Utility. The core program includes:
- Locate and access each fire hydrant.
- Locate, access and exercise the hydrant isolation valve.
- Check hydrant nozzle height for correct ground clearance.
- Identify make, model, and year of hydrant manufacture.
- Identify hydrant main valve and hose/pumper nozzle sizes.
- Lubricate operating nut (if appropriate for hydrant brand/model) and all nozzle outlets with non-corrosive F.D.A. approved lubricant.
- Open hydrant with nozzle caps in place to check for seal leakage.
- Verify hydrant main (bottom) valve completely closes.
- Flow hydrant - record working pressure and calculate flow rate.
- Record static pressure.
- Establishing actual physical location of the hydrant with sub-meter GPS coordinates.
- Document any operational deficiencies and/or miscellaneous findings.
- Transfer all this data from each hydrant location in “real time” to a central data base allowing for malfunctioning, poorly operating, and/or out of service hydrants to be immediately reported to the Utility.
- GPS services, and asset data management.
- Additional services can include (but are not limited to): Upper and/or lower barrel repairs, installation of extensions to adjust for grade, replacement of bonnet and/or bottom flange bolts, placement of hydrant I.D. tag, leak sounding at each hydrant location, establishing sub-foot GPS coordinates.
