15
Water
Supply
15
Objectives (1 of 2)
• Discuss rural water supplies.
• Describe how portable tanks are used to
supply water for firefighting.
• Describe the sources of water for a
municipal water supply system.
• Explain the purpose of a water treatment
facility.
15
Objectives (2 of 2)
• Describe the major features of a municipal
water distribution system.
• Describe dry-barrel fire hydrants and wet-
barrel fire hydrants.
• Discuss maintaining and testing a fire
hydrant.
• Define static pressure, residual pressure,
and flow pressure.
15
Introduction (1 of 2)
• An uninterrupted water supply is:
– The primary weapon for extinguishment
– Essential for fire fighter safety
• Ensuring a dependable water supply is a
critical fire-ground operation and must be
accomplished as soon as possible.
15
Introduction (2 of 2)
• Water sources
include:
– Municipal and private
water systems
– Static water sources
15
Rural Water Supplies
• Residents of rural
areas usually depend
on wells or cisterns to
provide water.
• No hydrants in these
areas, so water must
be obtained from
other sources
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Static Water Sources (1 of 3)
• Static sources
include:
– Rivers or streams
– Lakes, ponds, oceans
– Canals or reservoirs
– Swimming pools
– Cisterns
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Static Water Sources (2 of 3)
• Must be accessible to a fire engine or
portable pump
– Is there a road or hard surface within 20‘ of
the source?
• May have a dry hydrant permanently
installed for speed and reliability
15
Static Water Sources (3 of 3)
15
Mobile Water Supply
Apparatus
• Tankers or water tenders
• Designed to carry large
volumes of water to the
fire
• Generally carry 1000–
3500 gallons
• May be used to pump
water directly into attack
engine
15
Portable Tanks (1 of 2)
• Carried on fire
apparatus to be
quickly set up at the
fire scene
• Typically hold 600–
5000 gallons of water
• Tankers are used to
fill the portable tanks.
15
Portable Tanks (2 of 2)
• The pump operator
drafts from the tanks.
• Dump valves on the
tankers allow them to
off-load up to 3000
gallons per minute.
15
Tanker Shuttles
• Used to deliver a large volume of water
over a long period of time
• Number required depends on
– Distance between fill site and fire scene
– Time it takes to dump and to refill
– Flow rate required at the fire scene
• Fill site should be designed to refill tankers
without delays
15
Municipal Water Systems
• Provide clean water for public use.
• Provide water for fire protection.
• Most are owned and operated by a local
government agency.
• Systems includes water sources, water
treatment facilities, and a water distribution
system.
15
Water Sources
• Sources include:
– Wells
– Rivers or streams
– Lakes
– Reservoirs
• Many systems draw water from several
sources.
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Water Treatment Facilities
• Remove impurities
• All water must be
suitable for drinking.
• Chemicals used to kill
bacteria and harmful
organisms
15
Water Distribution Systems
(1 of 5)
• Water mains deliver
water from treatment
facilities to the end
user.
• Include pumps,
storage tanks, and
reservoirs
15
Water Distribution Systems
(2 of 5)
• Water pressure
– Generally 20–80 psi
– Hydrant pressure should not drop below 20
psi.
– Usually produced by pumps (directly or
indirectly)
15
Water Distribution Systems
(3 of 5)
• Water pressure may
also be produced by
gravity.
– Gravity-feed system
– Elevated water
storage towers
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Water Distribution Systems
(4 of 5)
• Water mains typically follow a grid system.
• May have dead-end mains
– Water enters from only one direction.
– Limited available water supply
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Water Distribution Systems
(5 of 5)
• Water main valves
– Control valves:
Located throughout
system to shut down
sections
– Shut-off valves: Used
to shut off water flow
to individual customers
or to hydrants
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Fire Hydrants
• Provide water for firefighting purposes
• Installed on both public and private water
systems
• Consist of an upright steel casing attached
to the underground distribution system
15
Wet-Barrel Hydrants
• The barrel always has
water in it.
• Each outlet is
individually controlled.
• Additional lines can
be added while water
is flowing.
15
Dry-Barrel Hydrants
• Used in cold climates
• Hydrant valve is
located at the base of
the barrel.
• Water flows into the
hydrant only when it
is needed.
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Draining a Dry-Barrel Hydrant
• If water is left standing, it may freeze in cold
weather.
• After each use, water drains out through an
opening in the bottom of the barrel.
• When hydrant valve is fully open, drain hole is
closed.
• When hydrant valve is fully closed, drain hole is
open.
• A fully-opened hydrant allows for maximum flow.
15
Fire Hydrants Locations
• Located according to local standards and
nationally recommended practices
– Every 500' in residential areas; every 300' in
high-value areas
– Every intersection; mid-block when over set
distances
– Based on occupancy, construction, and size
of the building
15
Fire Hydrant Operation
• Turning on a hydrant.
• Individual fire departments may have their
own variations on this procedure.
• Always follow the standard operating
procedures for your department.
15
Inspecting Fire Hydrants (1 of 3)
• Check for visibility and access.
• Check for exterior damage.
• Ensure barrel is dry and free of debris.
• Ensure all caps in good working order.
• Open valve for water flow
• Shut down and ensure proper draining.
• Replace cap.
15
Inspecting Fire Hydrants (2 of 3)
15
Inspecting Fire Hydrants (3 of 3)
• To clean threads, use a steel brush.
• To remove burs on threads, use a
triangular file.
• Replace cracked, broke, or missing cap
gaskets.
• Lubricate as recommended by
manufacturer.
15
Testing Fire Hydrants
• Fire-suppression companies are often
assigned to test the flow from hydrants in
their districts.
• Testing procedures are simple, but an
understanding of hydraulics and attention
to detail are required.
15
Flow and Pressure (1 of 3)
• Flow is the quantity of water moving
through a pipe, hose, or nozzle measured
by its volume, usually in gallons (or liters)
per minute.
• Water pressure is the energy level
measured in pounds per square inch (psi)
(or kilopascals).
15
Flow and Pressure (2 of 3)
• Static pressure: Pressure when no water
is moving
– Measured by placing a gauge on a port with
no water in the system moving
• Normal operating pressure: Pressure
during a period of normal consumption
– Measured by placing a gauge on a port during
a period of normal consumption
15
Flow and Pressure (3 of 3)
• Residual pressure: Amount of pressure
that remains in the system when water is
flowing
• Flow pressure: Measures quantity of water
flowing through an opening during a
hydrant test
– Measured with a pitot gauge
15
Hydrant Testing Procedure
(1 of 3)
• Requires:
– Two adjacent hydrants
– Pitot gauge
– Outlet cap with a
pressure gauge
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Hydrant Testing Procedure
(2 of 3)
• Place cap gauge on an outlet of first
hydrant.
• Open hydrant valve and record pressure
reading as the static pressure.
• At second hydrant, remove cap and open
valve.
15
Hydrant Testing Procedure
(3 of 3)
• Place pitot gauge in
stream.
• At the same time,
record residual
pressure at the first
hydrant.
• Calculate or look up
in tables to determine
flow.
15
Summary
• Rural water supply utilizes fill sites,
tankers, and portable tanks.
• Municipal system has three components.
• Hydrants may be wet-barrel or dry-barrel.
• Inspection of hydrants is needed annually.
• Testing is done to determine maximum
flow availability.
