Fire hydrants are getting a fresh coat of paint!
Did you know, there are more than 10,000 fire hydrants in Vaughan? Each hydrant is vitally important in a fire emergency and helps maintain Vaughan’s water quality. To keep hydrants in top shape, the City of Vaughan performs annual preventative maintenance, which includes inspections, flushing, leak testing and part replacements, where required.
More than 3,000 fire hydrants are also refreshed through the City’s hydrant painting program per year. All City-owned hydrants are given a new coat of paint at least once every three to five years to ensure they remain highly visible and fit for duty. Nearly 7,350 hydrants have been inspected, and more than 2,100 hydrants have been painted so far in 2022.
Painting each hydrant takes approximately 15 to 20 minutes, and the work is planned to be completed across Vaughan by early November, weather permitting.
Help keep fire hydrants accessible
In an emergency, every second matters. Blocked, concealed or difficult-to-access fire hydrants can delay emergency fire response.
As outlined in the City’s Water By-Law 106-2022 (PDF), citizens who have a fire hydrant on their property or City property adjacent to theirs are responsible for ensuring the hydrant is always visible and unobstructed. Ensure debris, leaves and other yard waste are not blocking the area surrounding a fire hydrant and an accessible path from the street to the hydrant is always maintained.
The City is responsible for the uninterrupted supply and distribution of safe drinking water to all residents and businesses. Part of this work includes the maintenance of local fire hydrants across Vaughan. The City’s Environmental Services department works closely with Vaughan Fire and Rescue Service to ensure all hydrants are operational and ready to be used in an emergency.
To learn more about the City’s water operations, visit vaughan.ca/water.
For updates and news as they happen, subscribe to Vaughan News and follow the official corporate channels on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.