Hydrant misuse

Find out what issues hydrant misuse can cause and what you should do if you suspect someone is using one without our permission.

What are water hydrants?

Water hydrants are critical resources to help the fire service in emergencies, while also helping us manage and maintain the water network. There are two types of hydrants: washout hydrants and fire hydrants.

Washout hydrants

Washout hydrants are likely to be small, covered chambers on the footpath which connect to the mains water supply. Under the cover, the hydrant connection is usually fitted with a blue security cap.

Fire hydrants

Fire hydrants are commonly accompanied by a yellow ‘H’ sign. They should only be used by the fire service and not for water extraction. Under the cover, the hydrant connection is usually fitted with a red security cap which should only be removed by the fire service.

Issues caused by hydrant misuse

An illegal connection occurs when someone connects to our mains water supply without our permission, which has the potential to cause problems with our water supply.

Hydrant misuse is a criminal offence and can cause damage to our network, which may put your home or business at risk during an emergency.

An illegal connection can also cause water quality and supply issues, such as pressure changes, discolouration and contamination.

How to spot hydrant misuse

Hydrants can only legally be accessed by authorised users approved by AQUAM Water Services. Once authorised, the user will be given an orange standpipe to use on our network.

If you see somebody taking water from either a washout or fire hydrant, and they’re not from Wessex Water or a firefighter, they may be using the hydrant without authorisation.

If the standpipe or equipment the person is using isn't bright orange or they have connected to a fire hydrant, please report them to us.

Hydrant misuse examples

Here are some examples of what hydrant misuse can look like.

What to do if you suspect hydrant misuse

If you think you’ve seen somebody illegally accessing a water hydrant, please report it to us straight away.

If applicable, please provide the following information:

when and where it happened
the registration number of their vehicle
the company name and logo on their vehicle
how many times you have seen them use it
any pattern or schedule you have noticed.

If you can do so safely, please take a photo of them connected to the hydrant and of their vehicle.

Don’t worry if you don't have all this information. Any information you provide will help us track down those responsible.

Please do not attempt to approach or confront anybody you suspect of accessing a water hydrant illegally. We will investigate and involve the necessary authorities.

Report