What's happening
This bill requires annual fire hydrant testing, recordkeeping, and a statewide report on hydrant maintenance by large water providers.
Why it matters
Mandates stricter fire safety oversight. By requiring annual hydrant testing and five-year record retention, the bill aims to catch maintenance lapses early, potentially reducing the risk of malfunctioning hydrants during emergencies and supporting better emergency preparedness.
Creates new transparency and accountability. Large water providers must submit detailed maintenance and inspection records, including invoices, fostering greater public and governmental oversight of critical firefighting infrastructure.
Enables statewide performance comparison and improvement. The Department of Public Service’s comprehensive report will allow for analysis of maintenance practices across providers, identify gaps or inconsistencies, and recommend steps toward more uniform and reliable hydrant maintenance standards.
Applies pressure for compliance. The bill calls out non-cooperative entities in the public report, possibly motivating water authorities and public works departments to adhere more closely to best practices and reporting requirements, ultimately benefiting public safety.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Test Fire Hydrants Yearly
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to housing, construction and community development
- Referred to housing, construction and community development
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
565
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE (Prefiled)
January 9, 2019
Introduced by Sen. KENNEDY -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Housing, Construction and Community Development
AN ACT to amend the executive law, in relation to standards for fire hydrant systems; and providing for the repeal of certain provisions upon expiration thereof
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 378 of the executive law is amended by adding two new subdivisions 19 and 20 to read as follows:
19. a. Standards for fire hydrant systems shall require:
(i) periodic tests as required by the code enforcement official, provided that each hydrant be tested for proper functionality a minimum of once per year; and
(ii) records of inspections performed on each hydrant be maintained for a period of at least five years by the local authority responsible for conducting such inspections.
b. For the purposes of this section, a fire hydrant system shall be defined as a system of pipes and valves situated and maintained for firefighting purposes delivering a water supply with sufficient pressure and flow with a connection point by which firefighters can access it without restriction as to the use for that purpose. The location is such that it is accessible for immediate use of the fire authority at all times.
20. The department of public service shall transmit a request for information to each water-works corporation serving fifty thousand or more water users, water authority within the state, and municipal public works department requesting any and all information related to fire hydrant maintenance, servicing, testing, and replacement.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD02130-01-9
S. 565 2
a. The department of public service shall seek from each water-works corporation serving fifty thousand or more water users, water authority, and municipal public works department the following information:
(i) all invoices associated with maintenance, servicing, inspection, or repair of fire hydrants for a period of at least one year; and
(ii) all records associated with the maintenance, servicing, inspection, or repair of fire hydrants for a period of at least one year.
b. Each water-works corporation serving fifty thousand or more water users, water authority, or municipal public works department that receives a request for information from the department of public service pursuant to this subdivision shall cooperate fully with such department, provide such information in a timely manner, and comply with any other requests and requirements deemed appropriate by such department.
c. The department of public service shall issue a report on or before July first, two thousand twenty on information collected from each water authority and public works department regarding fire hydrant maintenance, servicing, inspection, or repair. Such a report shall include a comprehensive analysis of the frequency of each authority's or public works department's maintenance and inspection of fire hydrants. The department of public service shall include any recommendations that would achieve a more uniform period of hydrant maintenance and inspection. Such department shall include in the report the identity of any water-works corporation serving fifty thousand or more water users, water authority, or municipal public works department that received a request for information from the department but did not provide information in a timely or complete manner. If a water-works corporation serving fifty thousand or more water users, water authority, or municipal public works department is not responsible for maintaining and inspecting fire hydrants, a statement indicating no responsibility to inspect shall be transmitted to the department of public service in response to any request for information. Such department shall post a copy of the full report to the governor, the temporary president of the senate, the speaker of the assembly, and each member of the legislature.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately; provided that the provisions of subdivision 20 of section 378 of the executive law, as added by section one of this act, shall expire and be deemed repealed on the one hundred twentieth day after the department of public service has submitted its completed report provided, further, that the department of public service shall notify the legislative bill drafting commission upon the occurrence of the submission of the completed report in order that the commission may maintain an accurate and timely effective data base of the official text of the laws of the state of New York in furtherance of effectuating the provisions of section 44 of the legislative law and section 70-b of the public officers law.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the executive law, in relation to standards for fire hydrant systems; and providing for the repeal of certain provisions upon expiration thereof
Purpose
This bill clarifies the frequency at which fire hydrants must be tested, and provides for a report on fire hydrant maintenance over the last year.
Summary of provisions
Section 1: amends Section 378 of the executive law by adding subdivi- sions 17 and 18, which provide for the frequency of fire hydrant test- ing, the maintenance of records, and for the creation of a report by the department of public service.
Section 2: sets the effective date and sets forth for the repeal of subdivision 18 upon satisfaction of the report.
Justification
Currently, the Fire Code requires periodic testing, as determined by local code officials, but it fails to define how often "periodic" is. The public relies upon working fire hydrants, so fire departments can extinguish fires quickly and efficiently. Testing of hydrants is neces- sary to ensure the continued functionality of all fire hydrants.
Providing for a minimum amount of time between tests would help ensure that hydrants are in proper working order.
This bill would require a minimum of one test per hydrant, per year. Setting a testing standard of at least once per year is sufficient to allow local water authorities or public works departments to complete such a requirement with existing resources, while maintaining public safety. Additionally, local authorities would have to keep public records of each test, providing accountability. Finally, the department of public service would now create a report detailing the maintenance and inspection of hydrants for the last year. This will make testing history publicly available with information on how often hydrants were tested prior to the passage of this bill.
Legislative history
2015-16: S.8165 Referred to Rules 2017-18: S.1808
Fiscal implications
To be determined.
Effective date
This act shall take effect immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.