Suez (United Water) Refuses To Give FD Hydrant Flow Information

[Viper 139]

SPRING VALLEY — Rockland’s water company has partially walked back from its refusal to provide the volunteer fire department with what one official called critical information about the village's water supply.

 

Suez has agreed to give the village’s fire department previously classified data about where all fire hydrants are located, and their recent pressure readings and flow rates, said Bill Madden, director of external affairs with Suez New York.

 

 

http://www.lohud.com/story/news/local/rockland/2016/05/24/suez-spring-valley-fire-hydrants/84859892/

[NorthEndExpress 54]

Didn't Eastchester or New Rochelle have the same issue a few years back?

[Bnechis 3,961]

2 hours ago, NorthEndExpress said:

Didn't Eastchester or New Rochelle have the same issue a few years back?

Yes and still do.

 

Apparently if Isis gets their hands on flow data the region is doomed. National security says no one can know this info.

[Remember585 815]

This isn't an issue isolated to this company / municipalities.  I spent much of my six years as a Chief Officer trying to get this information and to convince the village to paint the hydrants to comply with the NFPA Flow Color Code.

[fire2141 33]

10 hours ago, Bnechis said:

Yes and still do.

 

Apparently if Isis gets their hands on flow data the region is doomed. National security says no one can know this info.

That is BS, I work for NYCDEP and the flow rates are broadcast over the two way radio from Shaft 18 in Valhalla to Hillview in Yorkers hourly, 24/7. If it were sensitive information they wouldn't be doing it.

[RICHEB126 5]

Is Spring Valley Fire specifically prohibited form conducting their own hydrant pressure and flow tests?? And as far as where all the hydrants are. There has got to be someone on the FD that's been around long enough to know where the hydrants are. Sounds like the old days when competitve Fire Co's used to put barrels over the hydrant until their respective rigs showed up for first water.

[pasobuff 38]

Ummm...doesn't the NYS Fire Code require that copies of all testing be furnished to the Code Enforcement Official upon request?

[Bnechis 3,961]

On May 25, 2016 at 8:15 AM, fire2141 said:

That is BS, I work for NYCDEP and the flow rates are broadcast over the two way radio from Shaft 18 in Valhalla to Hillview in Yorkers hourly, 24/7. If it were sensitive information they wouldn't be doing it.

That's what I have been told multiple times from suez

[Bnechis 3,961]

13 hours ago, pasobuff said:

Ummm...doesn't the NYS Fire Code require that copies of all testing be furnished to the Code Enforcement Official upon request?

For private or yard hydrants 

[pasobuff 38]

On ‎5‎/‎26‎/‎2016 at 9:49 PM, Bnechis said:

For private or yard hydrants 

 

NYS Fire Code Chapter 5 - Section 508...  508.5.2 Inspection, testing and maintenance. Fire hydrant systems shall be subject to periodic tests as required by the code enforcement official.

 

Section 508.5.3 specifically calls out private service mains and water tanks which need to be inspected, tested and maintained in accordance with NFPA 25.

[Bnechis 3,961]

3 minutes ago, pasobuff said:

 

NYS Fire Code Chapter 5 - Section 508...  508.5.2 Inspection, testing and maintenance. Fire hydrant systems shall be subject to periodic tests as required by the code enforcement official.

 

Section 508.5.3 specifically calls out private service mains and water tanks which need to be inspected, tested and maintained in accordance with NFPA 25.

Unfortunately, the PSC holds a higher level of authority than the DOS and they ignor this code. 

[Dinosaur 844]

9 hours ago, Bnechis said:

Unfortunately, the PSC holds a higher level of authority than the DOS and they ignor this code. 

 

Sue 'em!  It's a safety issue and the PSC should really stop ignoring things like NFPA.

On a side note, who says that PSC trumps DOS?  Is that statutory or just the laissez faire bureacracy in Albany failing us yet again?

 

[Bnechis 3,961]

7 minutes ago, Dinosaur said:

 

Sue 'em!  It's a safety issue and the PSC should really stop ignoring things like NFPA.

On a side note, who says that PSC trumps DOS?  Is that statutory or just the laissez faire bureacracy in Albany failing us yet again?

 

Sue who?

 

agreed. They've also ignored ISO and IWWA standards 

 

not sure. But that's the impression I get from the PSC

[Dinosaur 844]

Sue Suez for withholding the information and/or demand that the PSC require it be provided.  It seems very disingenuous to have critical data withheld by a regulated utility.