AWWA Updates Fire Hydrant Standard

The American Water Works Association (AWWA, www.awwa.org) updated its standard for various types and classes of wet-barrel fire hydrants (AWWA C503-97). The specification is designed for water-supply service in areas where the climate is mild and freezing temperatures do not occur. Under normal operating conditions, the entire interior of a wet-barrel hydrant is subject to water pressure at all times. This standard does not pertain to dry-barrel fire hydrants.

The purpose of the standard is to provide purchasers, manufacturers, and suppliers with the minimum requirements for wet-barrel fire hydrants, including materials, design, inspection, testing, marking, and shipping.

Revisions include:

1. Additional alloys have been included in Table 1, Copper alloys.
2. Table 3, maximum permissible loss of head for hydrants, has been changed.
3. The addition of references to stainless-steel components.
4. Sec. 4.4.13, Gaskets, and Sec. 4.7, Coatings, have been revised.

For more information on this standard, visit www.awwa.org/bookstore.