Annual Fire Hydrant Testing in Highland

Three offices, one private hydrant

Is there a hydrant on your Highland lot that gets its water from your own fire service main? Then its yearly test falls to you. The city doesn't book it. Neither does the water district. In Highland, three different offices each answer a different part of the hydrant question, and it helps to know which is which before you schedule anything:

• Fire response: the City of Highland Fire Department. The city contracts with CAL FIRE to staff it.
• Fire code and plan check questions: the department's Fire Prevention office, through the Fire Marshal's line at (909) 864-6861 ext. 248.
• Water supply: East Valley Water District, which provides water service to Highland. Not sure if a hydrant sits on your private main or the public system? Ask the district first.
• The annual test on a private hydrant: you, the owner, through a licensed contractor.

Highland adopts the California Fire Code with its own local amendments in Chapter 15.06 of the municipal code. Confirm the edition in force for your site with the City of Highland Fire Department and Fire Prevention office.

What we check during the yearly test

NFPA 25 calls for each private fire hydrant to be flow tested and inspected every year. The pipe that feeds it, your private fire service main, falls under NFPA 24. A typical visit runs like this:

1. We look the hydrant over: caps, outlet threads, the operating nut, the barrel, and the open space around it that an engine crew needs to hook up.
2. We open it fully and flow water. Looks can fool you.
3. We close it and confirm it shuts off and drains as it should.
4. We note what we found.

Keep those results with your fire protection records. NFPA 291 also sets a color code for hydrant bonnets by flow class, so the test is a good moment to see whether the paint on top still matches what the hydrant actually delivers.

Leaks, stiff stems and weak flow

Some hydrants fail. A stem that won't turn, a cap seized onto its threads, a slow drip after closing, or flow well below what the bonnet color claims are all things a yearly test is meant to catch before a fire crew does. We'll explain each finding. Fixes are handled through our fire hydrant repair service in Highland, and routine upkeep between tests is covered on our Highland fire hydrant maintenance page.

Who does the work, and how to book

California work for 1 Pro Fire is performed 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.

Most Highland calls we get are about fire extinguishers. A couple have been about hydrants. When you call, tell us how many hydrants you have, where they sit on the property, and whether anyone will be on site that day.

For annual fire hydrant testing in Highland, call us at (909) 219-9411 or email us at socal@1profire.com

Other systems due? See fire sprinkler service in Highland or fire extinguisher annual certification in Highland, or go back to the Highland fire protection hub. Have sites elsewhere? We also do annual fire hydrant testing in San Bernardino County, Riverside County and Los Angeles County.

Highland hydrant testing questions

How often does a private hydrant need testing?

Once a year. NFPA 25 calls for an annual flow test and inspection on every private hydrant.

Does the Highland Fire Department test hydrants on private property?

The department, staffed through the city's CAL FIRE contract, handles fire response. The annual test on a hydrant fed by your private main is the owner's to arrange. For local code requirements, call the Fire Prevention office at (909) 864-6861 ext. 248.

Can you test if nobody is at the property?

Tell us when you book. We'll talk through site access and whether you can be billed or need to pay at the time of service, so the details are settled before the visit.

How do I know the hydrant is mine?

If it's fed by your building's private fire service main, it's yours. When the line isn't clear, East Valley Water District, Highland's water provider, is the place to ask.