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Mayor orders inspections after hydrants failed at Bennett Street fire; $340K–$360K contract planned
Summary
Mayor reported that hydrants near a recent Bennett Street blaze delivered inadequate water, causing a roughly 20‑minute delay. City plans a contract to inspect about 4,000 hydrants (estimated $340,000–$360,000), accelerate valve installations and deploy a tanker on fire responses while repairs proceed.
The mayor told the Board of Aldermen on Monday that hydrants near a recent Bennett Street fire could not supply enough water to feed fire hoses, forcing crews to find another hydrant and delaying operations by about 20 minutes. "The hydrants did not have sufficient water," the mayor said, describing an incident that city officials called concerning and the subject of an internal investigation.
The administration is moving quickly: city crews have begun installing isolation valves to allow localized shutoffs and reduce the impact of future breaks, and the mayor said the first valve is in place on Huntington Avenue with others scheduled for Jarrett Road, Thomas Avenue and Bunker Hill later this year. He said the Jarrett valve parts are expected in August and that more complicated work at Bunker Hill/Irvington will require engineering.
To create an inventory of system condition the administration plans to piggyback on a state contract to hire a private firm to inspect roughly 4,000 hydrants. The mayor said preliminary numbers range from $340,000 to $360,000 for the baseline inspections and that the work could be completed in about 25 weeks. "That'll at least give us a baseline," he said, adding the program would identify which mains might need replacement or relining and help the fire department understand which hydrants can support hose operations.
City officials also described the common problem of tuberculation — iron mains where internal buildup narrows the pipe — as a likely contributor to low flows in older neighborhoods. Options discussed include replacing small‑diameter iron mains or installing internal pipe linings.
As a short‑term operational step, the fire department will begin responding to some calls with a 2,000‑gallon tanker truck to provide water where nearby hydrants can’t be relied on. The mayor said the tanker should buy time to reach an available hydrant and that the first engine to arrive would still carry 500 gallons. "That tanker will buy time to be able to find the water source," he said.
The mayor said the police department is leading an investigation into what happened at Bennett Street to understand any procedural gaps; he told the board to expect a special meeting in the coming days to authorize the inspection contract and potential transfers from unallocated capital funding.
What’s next: the administration will present a contract for the hydrant inspections and may request a special meeting to authorize funding and an execution plan. The board did not take a formal vote on that contract during Monday’s meeting.
Proving evidence: The mayor summarized the hydrant performance problems and the planned inspection contract during his report to the board (opening remarks and hydrant discussion).
