Fire Hydrant Installation Requirements
Millbrook, Alabama Code of Ordinances, Chapter 34 – Fire Prevention and Protection
Sec. 34-2. Installation of fire hydrants.
- (a) No shopping center, commercial, residential, or apartment development shall be constructed or developed within the city or its police jurisdiction unless each structure is served by fire hydrants installed in accordance with the following requirements:
- Fire hydrants must conform to the specifications for National Standard fire hydrants for ordinary water works service of the American Water Works Association, and each fire hydrant installed after March 31, 2007 shall include an anti-terrorism valve (ATV) designed to protect against accidental backflow and intentional contamination of drinking water via the The ATV shall be a stealth check valve located internal to the upper barrel of the hydrant and shall meet or exceed the specifications established by the Millbrook Utility Department.
- Fire hydrants must be installed in accordance with National Fire Protection Association Standard The barrel of fire hydrants shall be set perpendicular with the ground with the lowest discharge not less than 15 inches above finished grade, and the large pumper connection facing the street.
- Fire hydrants shall be equipped with not less than one four-and-one-half-inch outlet and two two-and-one-half-inch outlets and have a barrel size of not less than five and one-quarter inches.
- All fire hydrants must be connected to and supplied by water mains of not less than eight inches in Water mains shall meet specifications established by the American Water Works Association. Fire hydrants are to be yellow (from the manufacturer) in accordance with NFPA 24.
- In apartment and residential developments, fire hydrants shall be placed at each street intersection and spaced intermittently not more than 500 feet apart, with additional fire hydrants located as necessary so as to permit all portions of buildings to be reached by hose lay of not more than 400 feet.
- In shopping centers and other commercial developments, fire hydrants shall be spaced not more than 300 feet apart with additional fire hydrants located as necessary so as to permit all portions of buildings to be reached by hose lays of not more than 300 feet.
- In commercial developments that are developed with streets, fire hydrants shall be placed at each street intersection with intermittent hydrants between intersections spaced not more than 300 feet apart, with additional hydrants located as necessary so as to permit all portions of buildings to be reached by hose lays of not more than 300 feet.
- Where possible water mains shall be interconnected or looped at intervals not exceeding 600 feet on eight-inch Where it is necessary to make dead-end extensions from the water system, such extension shall be capable of providing an adequate fire flow at a static pressure of not less than 40 pounds per square inch and a residual pressure of not less than 20 pounds per square inch and such extension shall not exceed 1,500 feet on an eight-inch main.
- The location of fire hydrants, hydrant fittings, valves, threads and direction of opening shall be uniform, and shall be approved by the Fire Chief.
- A map indicating the size of mains and location of hydrants and valves shall be provided to the Fire Chief by the developer prior to the installation of any water mains or the construction of any buildings in any development.
- Exceptions in fire hydrant placement requirements: In rare cases, it may not be practical either economically, physically, or both, to install the required fire hydrant(s) in an area. Examples include, but are not limited to, when a small number of dwellings/buildings are constructed on large acreage lots, or when the physical terrain is such that it is not economically prudent to construct the required water lines.
- Any dwelling/building hereafter constructed or moved into the jurisdiction shall have an approved fire hydrant installed within 800 feet of the structure provided a water main of acceptable diameter is accessible within the same distance. This requirement shall be determined by the Fire Chief or his designee. The individual obtaining the building permit will be required to acknowledge with their signature that they have been advised of the lack of a secured water source for firefighting operations in the event of a fire.
- (b) No building permit, approval or other permission of any kind shall be issued for construction or development of any shopping center, commercial, apartment, or residential development which does not comply with the provisions of subsection (a) of this section. Water mains and fire hydrants shall be installed, under water pressure, and ready for firefighting before any sheathing may be installed on walls and on roof of any building in a development.