Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Infrastructure Hydrants topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Flower Mound details hydrant maintenance program and new digital tracking for 4,676 hydrants
Summary
Town staff described procedures for inspecting, flushing and flow‑testing 4,676 hydrants, explained out‑of‑service markings and announced a new GIS‑linked records system to speed repairs and inform residents.
Town staff told the Flower Mound council that hydrant reliability is a core component of fire response and ISO rating maintenance. "We have 4,676 hydrants in Flower Mound," the hydrant presenter said while outlining inspection and maintenance responsibilities shared between fire and public works.
The presentation explained two complementary processes: annual hydrant flushing (opening a hydrant until water runs clear) and flow testing (measuring GPM and residual pressure). Staff said ISO/NFPA guidance requires 100% of hydrants be flushed annually and about 20% be flowed and recorded for GPM verification.
Out‑of‑service handling and resident information: the town uses black bags or black rings to visually mark inoperable hydrants and maintains a shared spreadsheet and work‑order process between fire (inspection) and public works (repair/replacement). The presenter emphasized ordinance spacing standards (residential hydrants every 500 feet, commercial every 300 feet), engine hose capacity and relay pumping as contingency measures.
Digital records and asset management: staff introduced a new records management system (referred to in the session as 'Fireworks') to replace the legacy Excel spreadsheet and to store inspections, deficiency tracking and GIS mapping. They also said an automated asset‑management workflow that connects inspections to maintenance was approved recently and that meaningful data should appear in roughly three to six months.
Supply chain, parts and prioritization: public works staff described nine hydrant makes in the inventory, part lead times that can range from days to months, and a risk‑based prioritization that ensures two adjacent hydrants are not both out of service. Crews currently dedicate two days per week to address out‑of‑service hydrants, and contractors will be used for larger replacements when parts are obsolete or excavation is required.
What residents should know: staff committed to publishing the presentation materials and a contact number on the town website so residents who see a black bag or ring can report the issue and learn expected repair timelines. The council thanked staff for the multi‑year effort to formalize the workflow and improve transparency.
