Excerpt from the National Fire Code of Canada
6.6 Water Supply Systems for Fire Protection
6.6.1. General
6.6.1.1. Maintenance
1) Water supplies for fire protection,
including hydrants, shall be maintained so as to be capable of providing
the flow and pressure of water for which they were designed.
6.6.1.2. Valve Inspections
1) Valves controlling water supplies to fire protection systems
shall be inspected at intervals not greater than 7 days to ensure that they are wide open
and are sealed or locked in that position.
6.6.1.5. Internal Scale and Rust
1) Water supply piping systems shall be cleaned and
flushed when necessary to remove deposits of scale or rust that reduce
the flow of water below that for which the piping is designed.
6.6.4.1.
Maintenance
1)
Hydrants shall be maintained in operating condition.
2) Hydrants shall be kept readily accessible for fire
fighting use and their locations shall be clearly identified.
6.6.4.2.
Inspection Frequency
1) Hydrants shall be inspected at intervals not greater
than 6 months and after each use in conformance with Article 6.6.4.4.
6.6.4.3.
Records
1) Records of inspections and tests required in Article
6.6.4.2. shall be retained for examination by the authority having jurisdiction,
in conformance with Article 1.1.1.2.
6.6.4.4.
Inspections and Repairs
1) Hydrants shall be inspected to ensure that hydrant
caps are in place and caps with worn, rusted or obstructed threads,
which might hamper easy removal, shall be repaired or replaced.
2) Hydrant barrels shall be inspected to determine
if water has accumulated as a result of a leaking main valve or a plugged
or damaged drain valve.
3) Except as provided in Sentence (4), main valves
which are leaking and drain valves which are plugged or damaged shall
be repaired.
4) Where it is not practical to repair faulty drain
valves or where drain valves are intentionally plugged, measures shall
be taken to prevent the freezing of accumulated water.
6.6.4.5. Annual
Flushing
1) Hydrants shall be flushed at intervals not greater
than 12 months with the main valve and any outlet valves fully opened
until the water runs clear.
It is the responsibility of the owner to ensure that the water main
valves are inspected on a weekly basis to ensure that the valves are
wide open and sealed or locked in that position as per Article 6.6.1.2.
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