Water is running and nobody can find the valve
Some of the hydrant calls we've taken from Diamond Bar start this way. A hydrant in a parking lot gets clipped, water runs for a day or two, and calls to the city and the water department don't turn up the shutoff. Sound familiar?
Start with ownership. Walnut Valley Water District supplies water to all of Diamond Bar, but a hydrant fed by a private fire service main belongs to the property it sits on. Callers have told us the district declined the job for exactly that reason. The repair then falls to the property owner.
While you wait for a technician:
- Keep cars and people clear of the broken hydrant.
- Look for a post indicator valve or a valve box near the hydrant or along the fire line.
- Be careful with any valve you close, because the same main may feed your building's sprinklers and shutting it can take them out of service.
- Photograph the damage and the flow.
- Write down when the leak started.
No camera footage of the hit? That's common. Photos still help.
Breakaway spool or broken underground?
Most commercial hydrants have a breakaway section at the base (a spool or flange with bolts built to snap on impact). It is made to fail. That way the barrel and the pipe below it survive a hit.
If only that section broke, the repair is usually a new spool, bolts and gaskets, followed by a check that the hydrant opens, closes and seals. If the impact cracked the barrel or the lateral line underground, the job becomes excavation and pipe work on the private fire service main, which falls under NFPA 24. You often can't tell which case you have until the water is off. We look first. Then we tell you what the repair needs.
Other hydrant repairs
- Leaks at outlets, caps or the bonnet
- Stems that are stuck, bent or hard to turn
- Missing or damaged caps and chains
- Worn gaskets and seals
- Hydrants that come up short on a flow test
For routine upkeep between repairs, see fire hydrant maintenance in Diamond Bar. If a hydrant is beyond repair, we also handle fire hydrant installations.
After the fix: flow testing and the county inspector
Under NFPA 25, private hydrants are flow tested and inspected every year. A fresh repair is a good moment to run that test. Our annual fire hydrant testing page covers what gets checked.
Fire inspections for Diamond Bar businesses come from Los Angeles County Fire Department Fire Prevention, since the city contracts with the county for fire service. Their Diamond Bar office is at 1061 S. Grand Ave., (909) 569-0758. Got a notice about the hydrant, or not sure what schedule applies to your site? Confirm it with that office.
Who may work on your hydrant
California work for 1 Pro Fire is done by Hedrick Fire Protection. Hedrick holds C-16 (fire protection) and C-10 (electrical) 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, which include private hydrants.
Reporting a broken hydrant
Call (213) 568-0188 or email socal@1profire.com. Give us the address. Tell us whether water is still flowing and which valves, if any, you've already closed. The final price depends on what we find once the water is off, and if we recommend extra work, you can turn it down.
More on hydrants: the Diamond Bar fire protection hub, plus hydrant repair for Los Angeles County and Orange County.
Questions callers ask about hydrant repair
Is the shopping center owner or the water district responsible?
Walnut Valley Water District serves all of Diamond Bar, but a hydrant on a private fire service main belongs to the property. When the district declines a hydrant on private property, the repair goes to the owner. Tenants should check their lease.
Can a crew come out tonight?
Call (213) 568-0188 as soon as you see the leak. We'll tell you when a crew can get there.
Could the price change once you see the damage?
Yes. If the damage goes past the breakaway section, or more work turns up, the price changes. You can decline recommended work you didn't approve.
Do you take cards?
Yes.
Do I need a flow test after the repair?
NFPA 25 calls for an annual flow test and inspection of private hydrants. Ask LA County Fire Prevention whether your site needs one now.