To support fire protection, Utilities Kingston inspects and flow rates the fire hydrants in Kingston’s water distribution system in accordance with the National Fire Protection Association. In 2013, we partnered with Kingston Fire & Rescue to meet our commitment to inspect all 3,200 hydrants and flow rate the 2,200 hydrants that had not yet been completed. Every fire hydrant in the municipal water distribution system has now been flow rated.

Crews are presently colour coding the tops of all 3,200 hydrants and will return as soon as possible to paint the remainder of the hydrant. The above image shows a hydrant that has recently had the top coded blue to indicate its high flow rating.

Fire fighters use colour coding to anticipate the water supply available through a hydrant when they arrive at the scene of a fire. Ensuring the water supply is trustworthy helps them to save lives and protect homes and businesses from fire damage. Thus bonnets and caps are colour-coded to indicate how much flow is available through a hydrant at that point in the water distribution system.

Utilities Kingston would like to thank its employees and Kingston Fire & Rescue for their support and encouragement, as well as members of the public for their patience during service disruptions. In 2014, crews will begin an annual program to flow rate 20 per cent of the hydrants. All the hydrants in the system will again be rated within a five-year period.

Learn more about fire hydrant inspection and flow rating from our website.