Annual Fire Hydrant Testing in Blythe

What the yearly hydrant test shows

A private hydrant can go months without anyone opening it. The annual test tells you if it still works.

NFPA 25 calls for private fire hydrants to be inspected and flow tested every year. If your hydrant is on a private fire service main (the underground pipe on your side of the water connection, covered by NFPA 24), the property owner is responsible for that test and for any repair it turns up.

On a typical visit, the technician:

• Checks the barrel, caps, threads and operating nut for damage, leaks or missing parts.
• Opens the hydrant fully, flows water, then confirms it closes without leaking.
• Takes flow and pressure readings using the NFPA 291 test method.
• Checks whether the bonnet color still matches the flow class NFPA 291 sets out.

Something fail? Our fire hydrant repair service in Blythe handles the fix.

The water for the test comes from the city

Blythe runs its own water utility. A flow test pulls water out of the main fast, so the water department should know about it before anyone opens the hydrant. The city's Water Transmission division at 440 S. Main Street, (760) 922-6611, is the first call when you're setting up a test, and the Water Treatment Facility on Ranchette Road can be reached at (760) 922-9206.

Some properties are different. A few Blythe-area addresses get their water from small separate systems such as Hidden Beaches or Riverside County CSA 122 Mesa Verde, and for those the test gets coordinated with that system's operator.

Who in Blythe can ask for your results

The city fire marshal works out of the Building Department. The title is Chief Building Inspector/Fire Marshal, and the number is (760) 922-6161 ext. 1225. Blythe's fire code is Chapter 15.20 of the municipal code, titled "California Fire Code." Before your inspection date, ask that office which edition is in force and what proof of hydrant testing it wants to see. Ask early.

The testing is done by Hedrick Fire Protection, which holds C-16 and C-10 contractor licenses and is licensed by the California State Fire Marshal under Title 19 for inspection, testing and maintenance of water-based fire protection systems.

Hydrant work is one of the most common reasons Blythe businesses call us. The first question is usually whether we come out to Blythe. We do.

Common questions

Do you service Blythe for fire hydrant certification?

Yes. Blythe (ZIP codes 92225 and 92226) is in our service area, and we test private hydrants there to NFPA 25.

Does Blythe have its own rule requiring annual hydrant tests?

The yearly schedule comes from NFPA 25. For anything Blythe adds under Chapter 15.20 of its municipal code, check with the city's Chief Building Inspector/Fire Marshal.

Is the hydrant on the street mine to test?

Usually not. Hydrants on the public water main belong to the water system, while the owner's duty covers hydrants on the private fire service main, so if you can't tell which one you have, ask the city water department.

What if my hydrant fails the test?

We'll tell you what failed. Repairs are covered on our Blythe fire hydrant repair page.

More fire protection service in Blythe

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• Fire hydrant maintenance in Blythe
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• Annual fire hydrant testing in Riverside County
• Annual fire hydrant testing in San Bernardino County
• Annual fire hydrant testing in San Diego County

To book a hydrant test in Blythe, call (951) 384-0323 or email socal@1profire.com. Send us the address, the number of hydrants and the water system that feeds them, and we'll set a date.