507.1 Required water supply. An approved water supply capable of supplying the required fire flow for fire protection shall be provided to premises upon which facilities, buildings, or portions of buildings are hereafter constructed or moved into or within the jurisdiction.

507.1.1 Timing. Building permits shall not be issued until plans required under IFC Section 507.2.4 have been approved. Construction cannot commence until water mains and fire hydrants have been approved and accepted.

507.2 Type of water supply. All fire hydrants shall be served by the City of Vancouver water system unless the fire code official approves some other system. A water supply shall consist of reservoirs, pressure tanks, elevated tanks, water mains or other fixed systems capable of providing the required fire flow at twenty pounds per square inch residual pressure.

507.2.1 Private fire service mains. Private fire service mains and appurtenances shall be installed in accordance with the National Fire Protection Agency NFPA 24.

507.2.2 Water tanks. Water tanks for private fire protection shall be installed in accordance with NFPA 22.

507.2.3 Public fire service mains. Fire hydrant installations and attendant water system connections shall conform to the APWA Standards, as amended by the City of Vancouver.

507.2.4 Plans. Two copies of detailed plans or drawings accurately indicating the location of all valves and fire hydrants to be installed shall be submitted to the engineering department prior to the commencement of any construction.

507.2.5 Dead-end mains. Provisions shall be made wherever appropriate in any project for looping all dead-end mains. A minimum ten-foot easement shall be required.

507.3 Fire flow. Fire flow requirements for buildings or portions of buildings and facilities shall be determined by an approved method. (See Appendix B)

507.4 Water supply test. The fire code official shall be notified prior to the water supply test. Water supply tests shall be witnessed by the fire code official or approved documentation of the test shall be provided to the fire code official prior to final approval of the water supply system.

507.4.1 Notification of installation. The city engineer or their designee and the fire department shall be notified in writing of the date the fire hydrant installation and its attendant water connection system will be available for use and the fire department shall be notified when all newly installed hydrants or mains are placed in service.

507.5 Fire hydrant systems. Fire hydrant systems shall comply with IFC Sections 507.5.1 through 507.5.8.

507.5.1 Where required. Fire hydrants shall be provided at 400 foot spacing along required fire apparatus access roads.

Exceptions:

1. For Group R-3 and Group U occupancies, the distance requirements shall be 600 feet (183 m).

2. For buildings equipped throughout with an approved automatic sprinkler system installed in accordance with IFC Section 903.3.1.1, the distance requirement shall be 600 feet (183 m).

507.5.1.1 Where a portion of the facility or building hereafter constructed or moved into or within the jurisdiction is more than 400 feet (122 m) from a hydrant on a fire apparatus access road, as measured by an approved route around the exterior of the facility or building, on-site fire hydrants and mains shall be provided where required by the fire code official.

Exceptions:

1. For Group R-3 and Group U occupancies, the distance requirements shall be 600 feet (183 m).

2. For buildings equipped throughout with an approved automatic sprinkler system installed in accordance with IFC Section 903.3.1.1 or 903.3.1.2, the distance requirement shall be 600 feet (183 m).

3. Where no more than two Group R-3 or Group U occupancies are being developed and the site is found to be remote by the fire code official, the distance shall be 1,000 feet.

507.5.2 Inspection, testing and maintenance. Fire hydrant systems shall be subject to periodic tests as required by the fire code official. Fire hydrant systems shall be maintained in an operative condition at all times and shall be repaired where defective. Additions, repairs, alterations and servicing shall comply with approved standards.

507.5.3 Private fire service mains and water tanks. Private fire service mains and water tanks shall be periodically inspected, tested and maintained in accordance with NFPA 25 at the following intervals:

1. Private fire hydrants (all types): Inspection annually and after each operation; flow test and maintenance annually.

2. Fire service main piping; Inspection of exposed piping annually; flow test every five years.

3. Fire service main piping strainers: Inspection and maintenance after each use.

507.5.4 Obstruction. Posts, fences, vehicles, vegetation, trash, storage and other materials or objects shall not be placed or kept near fire hydrants, fire department inlets connections or fire protection system control valves in a manner that would prevent such equipment or fire hydrants from being immediately discernable. The fire department shall not be deterred or hindered from gaining immediate access to fire protection equipment or fire hydrants.

507.5.5 Clear space around hydrants. A 3-foot (914 mm) clear space shall be maintained around the circumference of fire hydrants except as otherwise required or approved.

507.5.6 Physical protection. Where fire hydrants are subject to impact by a motor vehicle, guard posts or other approved means shall comply with IFC Section 312.

507.5.7 Specifications. All fire hydrants must meet the following specifications:

1. An auxiliary valve shall be installed and connected to the hydrant by flanges to permit the repair and replacement of the hydrant without disruption of water service.

2. All hydrants shall be plumb, be set to the finished grade with the lowest outlet of the hydrant not less than eighteen inches or more than thirty-six inches above the grade and have no less than thirty-six inches in diameter of clear area about the hydrant for the clearance of hydrant wrenches on both outlets and on the control valve.

3. The pumper port shall face the street. Where the street cannot be clearly defined or recognized, the port shall face the most likely route of approach and location of the fire engine while pumping as determined by the fire department. The hydrant shall be installed within fifteen feet of the street or access roadway.

4. The hydrant lateral from the water main shall be no less than six inches in diameter.

5. The main valve opening of hydrants shall be a minimum of five inches.

6. The area of the hydrant barrel shall be a minimum of one hundred and twenty percent of the main valve opening.

7. A drip valve of noncorrosive material shall be provided for draining the hydrant.

8. Hydrants shall have not fewer than two two-and-one-half-inch outlets and one pumper connection of four-and-one-half-inches.

9. Threads for hydrants with two-and-one-half-inch outlets shall be national standard. The four-and-one-half-inch connection will be equipped with an approved quick connect coupling.

10. Flush type hydrants are prohibited unless approved by the fire and water-sewer departments.

507.5.8 Fire Department connections. A fire hydrant shall be located within 150 feet of all required and approved fire department connections. (See also IFC Section 912).