Fire hydrants give the Fire and Rescue Service a water supply to fight fires. Most are public and looked after for you – but if there's a hydrant on your own private water main, keeping it working is your job.

What Is a Fire Hydrant?

A fire hydrant is a valve on a water main, usually in a small underground pit under a cover marked "FH" or "Fire Hydrant". Firefighters connect their equipment to it to get water.

Dry and wet risers – the pipes inside taller buildings – are a different thing. See Hose Reels, Dry Risers and Wet Risers.

Public Hydrants

Hydrants on the public water main are provided and maintained by the water company, usually working with the local Fire and Rescue Service:

  • England and Wales – your local water company, under the Water Industry Act 1991.
  • Scotland – Scottish Water.
  • Northern Ireland – NI Water.

Only the Fire and Rescue Service, or someone with the water company's permission, may use a public hydrant. Taking water without permission is an offence in all four nations. Never park over a hydrant cover – it can delay firefighters.

Private Hydrants

Some sites – industrial estates, hospitals, universities, large business parks – have their own private water main with hydrants on it. These are not maintained by the water company or the Fire and Rescue Service. They're the responsibility of the owner or the person in control of the site, as part of the legal duty to keep fire safety equipment in good working order:

  • England and Wales – the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005
  • Scotland – the Fire (Scotland) Act 2005 and the Fire Safety (Scotland) Regulations 2006
  • Northern Ireland – the Fire and Rescue Services (Northern Ireland) Order 2006 and the Fire Safety Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2010

Looking After a Private Hydrant

  • Have it inspected and flow-tested by a competent contractor at least once a year, and keep a record. The code of practice is BS 9990 (currently under review).
  • Keep the pit clear of rubbish, water and silt, and make sure the cover lifts easily.
  • Keep the hydrant and the route to it clear – no parked vehicles, skips or stored materials.
  • Make sure it's clearly marked with an indicator plate.
  • Tell your local Fire and Rescue Service about your private hydrants, and if one is out of use.

Reading a Hydrant Marker Plate

Hydrant plates are yellow with a black "H" (made to BS 3251). They're usually fixed to a nearby wall or post.

  • Top number – the size of the water main, in millimetres.
  • Bottom number – how far away the hydrant is, usually in metres.

So a plate showing 100 over 5 means a 100 mm main, with the hydrant 5 metres from the plate. Older plates may show inches and feet.

More information: Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service – what is a fire hydrant? and Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service – hydrant checking and maintenance.

Worth remembering… your fire risk assessment is what decides what your premises need. This guide is general advice, not a substitute for it.

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