Right to use a fire hydrant

snapslam · 25-03-2016 10:48am #1

I've woken up to the contractors doing up the driveway across the street in my estate. To my surprise they have tapped to the the water supply from the fire hydrant in our driveway. Do they have a right to use it? Thought it was for fire brigade to use only. Thanks

KK4SAM · 25-03-2016 11:00am

It's the property of Irish Water now and they would require permission to use it as its un-metered. This type of use also poses a risk to people say on home dialysis as they could disturb sediment in the line.

2rkehij30qtza5 · 25-03-2016 11:02am

snapslam wrote: »

I've woken up to the contractors doing up the driveway across the street in my estate. To my surprise they have tapped to the the water supply from the fire hydrant in our driveway. Do they have a right to use it? Thought it was for fire brigade to use only. Thanks

No they are not allowed to use it without permission of Irish Water.

Victor · 25-03-2016 6:00pm

snapslam wrote: »

they have tapped to the the water supply from the fire hydrant in our driveway.

How come you have a fire hydrant in your driveway? Is it a communal driveway / commercial premises?

Permission is needed from the council / Irish Water, but that isn't to say they didn't have permission. That they accessed your driveway is another matter.

snapslam · 25-03-2016 6:14pm

Sorry I didn't state that correctly it is in the entrance onto our driveway which meant blocking our driveway so no cars could go in or out. The reason for it being there must be down to the fact that our house was not meant to be built originally and the developer applied for permission to built it at later stage - resulting in messed up house numbers as well. I didn't get to query their permission they didnt block it for very long and finished the whole thing in two hours. Thanks for the information though I might need that in the future.

bleaks · 24-08-2022 12:08pm

Bumping an old thread, but having a similar issue with private contractors filling the water tanks in their vans from a hydrant on the path outside our home.

One contractor is doing this at 5am, waking us up each time. I believe they are subcontracted by the council, but are a PLC. Surely this constitutes as noise pollution? I don't particularly mind them doing it during the day, though it would be frustrating not being able to park whilst our drive it blocked for 20 minutes whilst their doing this.

I've emailed Irish Water, so we'll see what they come back with. Anyone have any joy in this regard?

seagull · 24-08-2022 1:02pm

The fact that they are blocking your driveway is an issue in its own right

AnRothar · 24-08-2022 1:21pm

Just to say I have found this thread useful.

A group of independent traders are power washing moss off the roof of a house nearby.

yesterday I saw them refilling the tank in the back of the van from the hydrant outside our house and was curious.

so when they pulled up today I went and queried what they were doing.

they politely informed me that they had a permit from Irish water but it was in the other van.

so I politely asked them that since they had a permit why did they not used the hydrant near the house they are cleaning.

They left.

So thanks to the points who advised that to use a hydrant they must have a permit.

Victor · 25-08-2022 3:56pm

I previously spoke to Irish Water about a damaged hydrant. Hydrants remain council equipment that is connected to the water network and Irish Water aren't responsible for them.

5am hydrant use is problematic and repeated use could be reported to the council.

GM228 · 06-09-2022 3:50pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119520951#Comment_119520951

To add to this, to "interfere" with a fire hydrant without permission of the LA is a criminal offence, you certainly need to interfere with it to open it up and draw water from it.

fire-hydrant · 22-08-2023 11:43pm

I've reported 3 companies to Kilkenny County Council for taking water off a fire hydrant. Photographed it and all with pictures of the company vehicles and members of their staff in action and sent it to the council and Irish Water. In one picture the company owner is clearly visible.

Irish Water acknowledged the emails but did nothing about it. They are refusing to answer follow-up emails even though their website says they will respond within 10 days

Kilkenny County Council ignored me until i followed up officially. Their reply was they sent a supervisor around to the company and asked them not to do it again.

it was an interesting test of the commercial water rates and of the Fire Services Act section 31

Overall i think the response to complaints is a bit of a joke. They have the evidence, a witness and all they do it send a supervisor round and ask them not to do it again. 😂 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

bleaks · 23-08-2023 10:44am

I must have got lucky. I sent the complaint email to Irish Water with evidence and even though they didn't acknowledge or respond to the email, the filling stopped after I sent it.

Get onto your local politicians and say it's affecting your sleep & wellbeing... you might need to keep onto them. Good luck.

fire-hydrant · 23-08-2023 7:54pm

Well, there is little point in saying anything to the local politicians, they are in on this scam. I started monitoring and researching these laws after I saw a local window cleaning company cleaning a former mayor's house with water from a fire hydrant. Said it to the former mayor and thinks there is no issue and that I'm a troublemaker who needs to mind his own business.

Since withnessing this incident i've seen 3 companies in 4 months stealing water in breach of the Water Services Act and the fire services act.

Council water department dont care.

Irish Water dont care.

Cheif fire officer doesn't care.

Each have got the same photos of companies stealing water. Some with full images of the companies owners.

Chief fire office ignored photos, Mayor thinks he has a right, Irish water will write a letter, council will send a guy around and ask them not to do again.