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Operating hydrants

Every time someone takes water from our network they have the potential to effect the water supply to our other customers in the area. To make sure that you don’t contaminate the water supply, please ensure that when connecting and disconnecting the standpipe from the hydrant you follow the strict hygiene procedures explained during your Calm Networks training.​

When attaching a standpipe to one of our hydrants/washouts​ you MUST:

  • Clean out the hydrant chamber of any debris
  • Flush the hydrant to clear the connection point​
  • Spray the hydrant and standpipe with a 1000 ppm chlorine solution spray
  • Do not cross thread the outlet​
  • Do not apply any bending or sideways load to the standpipe​
  • Visually inspect the standpipe to confirm it is fitted correctly​
  • Operate the valve key bar slowly and at arm’s length​
  • Do not stand directly over the hydrant chamber as any failure of the unit could result in water and debris being forced vertically upwards​
  • Always open and close the hydrant in a slow and controlled manner

If any hydrant does fail in operation please report it to United Utilities immediately. You can call our friendly team on 0345 672 3723.

  • No not all hydrants are the same, some hydrants are on small diameter pipes and don’t allow much water through, some are at the end of the line and may cause discoloured water if used. Some hydrants are for the Fire Brigade, and these are marked with yellow markings, or a yellow and black plate, these are for firefighting purposes only. The best hydrants are on larger diameter mains and we call these our ‘designated hydrants’.

  • Designated Hydrants were originally identified water abstraction points for hired standpipes. The identification of an available hydrant was and still is to be compatible with our Calm Network Principles.

    The Calm Network Principle is that when operating a hydrant in a safe and controlled manner, which minimises disruption on the drinking water network. This is so we can protect all customers from discoloured water, high demand related poor pressures and reduce pressure transients that might otherwise lead to a burst water main.

  • We now have a designated hydrant MAP that will provide you with the location of each Hydrant we have identified as being a suitable Designated Hydrant with a unique target symbolstandpipes target map icon. This will help you find your way around our water network, to a hydrant that is suitable for both of us. We have also undertaken a review of these locations in order to increase the number available and ensure they are more accessible whilst following Water Quality focused rules.

    The designated hydrants map can be used on either a Desktop/Laptop browser or via the same URL when opened on a mobile phone or tablet with an internet connection.

Standpipe hire charges

Find out more about our standpipe hire charges for 2024/2025.

Illegal use of a Standpipe

Click the link below for more information on illegal use of a standpipe.

Protecting your drinking water

You can download our leaflet ‘Protecting your drinking water - use of standpipes’ here.