What To Do When a Vehicle Hits Your Hydrant
In this Supply Insights article, we’ll explore the process of repairing or replacing a Fire Hydrant after a vehicle collision and why it’s essential to install and replace it with the right equipment.
Repairing a hydrant in the field
When Isaac Ketteman, a Core & Main Supply Account Manager, worked as a Treatment Plant Operator in North Carolina, he became used to dispatch calls alerting him that someone had hit a hydrant.
“It’s always on a Friday,” Ketteman says. “We had a driver take out a hydrant and compromise water delivery.”
“Residents and businesses in that area, their water will be temporarily shut off.” Ketteman says. “When you go to open it back up, you’ve got to exercise the hydrant and send a bacteria test to the lab."
Securing the scene
Assessing the scene can help an operator quickly decide how involved the repair needs to be. One of the first things to do is check in with the fire department and tell them where the next closest hydrant location is in case of a fire emergency.
Once on the scene, Isaac will survey to ensure that the working area is free of power lines, immobile vehicles, and other concerns for the health and safety of residents or people impacted by the incident.
“You have to plan for the worst-case scenario.” Says Ketteman, “having the fire department on standby allows us to notify the department of down hydrants.”
An impacted hydrant usually needs replacement, but an undamaged hydrant and stem can be re-used.
In some slower-speed collisions, the safety flange and coupling will bear the brunt of the impact and allow the hydrant to be salvaged. Regardless, the hydrant should be inspected and, if possible, tested to ensure it works properly without obvious failure points. Your municipality will have guidelines about what to look for and whether an impacted hydrant can be re-used.
In higher-speed collisions, a hydrant might tear away from the flange too quickly and rip away some of the underlying infrastructure, exposing and breaking the water main. In all scenarios involving hydrant repair and installation, flushing and re-testing are essential to ensure drinking water continues to meet regulatory standards.
In our previous article, you can read about the tools and equipment needed to fix water mains.
Personal safety considerations
Working with a broken hydrant introduces various safety situations that should be approached cautiously and with proper PPE. If a hydrant is broken off at the safety flange, water will escape the main and must be shut off at the closest valve box before inspecting the situation. 
"It's common for work areas to have broken metal or glass after a vehicle collision." says Ketteman.
Equip your team with cut-resistant gloves to handle points of impact that might have exposed sharp edges in the metal around the flange or hydrant. Safety glasses and hard hats should also be worn, along with water-proof and warm waders and boots, depending on the season.
It’s best to use a boom truck and properly secured hydrant sling to pick the hydrant up, moving it to the side to avoid accidents while the team replaces the flange. A hydrant can weigh up to 500 lbs, and an improperly secured hydrant can send it flying and put your team at risk.
Hydrant Safety Flange
If you ask Isaac, the safety flange is one of the most important time and safety inventions of the
last 80 years. Before these flanges existed, fire hydrants were like bollards, with a strong iron barrel bolted directly to the water main.
The hydrant safety flange will separate during a vehicular collision or other forceful impact, often preserving the hydrant and pipes below.
“In our instance, the safety flange was a lifesaver.” Ketteman says, “in the past, a vehicle would hit the hydrant and either rip the pipe apart or [the impact would] severely harm the occupants inside.”
Nowadays, safety flanges are installed with new infrastructure, ensuring an extra degree of safety in newer developments and neighborhoods. A safety flange will be installed as a retrofit if an older hydrant is repaired or replaced.
Installing the safety flange and stem coupling
Not all safety flange kits are the same, and identifying the right one for your working situation is the first step in any hydrant repair. Different hydrant brands require different kits and should be purchased and stored for future use within your municipality.
In a simple hydrant break and flange install, a new safety flange and break-away stem coupling will need to be fitted to the hydrant and the operating stem at grade level. If a hydrant needs to be lifted to get it up to grade, an extension kit will fit onto existing infrastructure to make sure it breaks away at the right spot.
Break-away components ensure that more critical infrastructure remains undamaged, but it’s important to inspect the stem and flange-fitment area for defects or damage. Sometimes, a new stem or hydrant will need to be called in and installed, or a water main will need repair.
In some larger cities a municipality will have close to a dozen hydrants hit by cars annually, so having the right tools and kits on hand is essential for quick response and uninterrupted service. (Manteca Bulletin)
This video by Assured Flow Sales overviews the problems that an incorrectly installed hydrant can cause and what repair parts are needed for flange replacement.
Testing water flow and bacteria content
Before turning the water back on to the residents, it’s crucial to flush the hydrant, test water flow and take a water sample for lab testing. Flushing and flow testing can be achieved with a simple diffuser, while a lab sample can take 24 to 48 hours to get results.
Keeping a clean work area free of debris while preventing organic material from falling into the open pipe (if possible) is key to providing clean water to your customers and reducing more work down the line.
Curious about Hydrant Flushing Best Practices? Check out our article about this yearly practice.
Preparing for next time...
Repairing or replacing a fire hydrant after a vehicular collision is a complex process that requires careful attention to safety, communication, and proper equipment. Municipalities should be prepared with the right tools, including safety flanges and break-away valves, to minimize damage to infrastructure and ensure quick restoration of service.
Collaboration between fire, police, and field teams is crucial for managing traffic and maintaining safety. Flushing the system after a repair and testing water flow while conducting bacteria tests further ensures the quality of drinking water.
By maintaining well-equipped teams and clear protocols, your municipality can efficiently handle these unfortunate incidents, minimizing disruption to residents.
Curious about what products and programs can help with effective hydrant repair and water testing? Start a conversation with your local Supply account manager.
Isaac Ketteman - Regional Account Manager
Sources
Drivers shear off up to 10 fire hydrants yearly - Manteca Bulletin