Damaged Water Hydrants Leave Your Community Vulnerable

20 April 2011 16:15

Those who vandalised water hydrants over the weekend are endangering their local community. NI Water is calling on those responsible to consider that their actions could result in loss of life if a fire broke out and a hydrant was unusable due to vandalism.

Damaging fire hydrants is not only extremely dangerous for the people living in the area if a fire was to break out, but is also a huge inconvenience to those whose water supply is affected as a result. This activity has serious implications as water hydrants are used by the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service when they report to the scene of a fire. If one or more hydrants are damaged in an area, there is a very real risk that there will be no source of water to extinguish the blaze. This could potentially result in the loss of life.

NI Water would appeal to everyone to consider who they are putting at risk; it could even be their own family and friends.

This has a direct impact on customers who could experience reduced pressure and loss of supply when a hydrant is opened in their neighbourhood. This means that if this activity goes unreported there is greater potential for prolonged interruptions to supply.

As a result of these mindless acts of vandalism, communities could be left without water. NI Water is asking communities to say “No” to this anti-social behaviour and report vandalism to the PSNI or to Waterline on 08457 440088.