Why hydrant planning matters
Fire hydrants are a critical part of your building's fire safety plan. The City of Wrenford maintains more than 12,000 hydrants across the city. Keeping them accessible and in working order protects your property and keeps our fire crews safe. Under the Fire Safety Plan By-law, property owners must ensure hydrants on or near their land are never blocked.
Clearance and access rules
When planning your property, you must leave enough room for fire crews to connect hoses quickly. Follow these clearance rules:
- Do not park within five metres of a fire hydrant.
- Leave two metres of clearance on each side of the hydrant.
- Leave one metre of clearance on the side facing away from the street.
When planting hedges, trees, or building fences, check these measurements first. If a hydrant becomes blocked, contact By-law Enforcement immediately. You can use the Service Wrenford portal to file a complaint.
Hydrant usage permits
Contractors, developers, and landscapers who need to draw water from a City hydrant must get a temporary water permit first. You can use a hydrant for filming special effects, demolition dust control, or construction testing. You cannot use a City hydrant for concrete mixing, irrigation, or filling pools.
All permit applications require a backflow preventer, a valid assembly test report, and a $500.00 refundable damage deposit. The City requires a minimum of three full business days to inspect the hydrant before you can begin work. Unauthorized use of water or accessing a hydrant without a permit can result in fines of up to $10,000 under the Water and Wastewater By-law 2017-090.
Hydrant flow tests
The City runs flow tests twice a year, in spring and fall, to check water pressure and system health. These tests help us plan upgrades and ensure hydrants will work during a fire. If you need the results from a past test or want to request a new one for a development project, email the Water Operations team.
Reporting issues
If you see water flowing from a hydrant with no City workers present, or if a hydrant is frozen, missing, or damaged, report it right away. You can call 311 or use the Service Wrenford portal. Please note that if a red "OUT OF ORDER" sign is already attached to a hydrant, the City knows about the issue and you do not need to file a report.
Private hydrants
Some hydrants sit on private land, such as in industrial parks or large residential complexes. These require special permissions to operate. Submit the Application for Approval to Operate Private Hydrant to the Planning & Development department for review.
Contacts and fees
For questions about clearance rules, permit applications, or flow tests, contact the Fire Prevention office at Fire Station 1 (Headquarters). The standard review fee for a fire hydrant safety plan is $150.00 per hydrant. The City processes these requests within three business days. Download the Fire Hydrant Clearance Checklist to verify your property measurements.