It is an offence to take water from a hydrant by any means other than a licenced approved standpipe obtained from NI Water. 

Using water from a fire hydrant by any other means could lead to prosecution and a maximum financial penalty of £1,000 per occasion.

Those who have a legitimate need may obtain a portable standpipe for drawing water on a temporary basis from a fire hydrant on a public water main system.

NI Water can provide persons who have a legitimate need to obtain water from a public water main with a standpipe licence, which grants you prior permission to obtain direct access to our water supply network. This licence will allow, subject to any local operating restrictions (such as local or national hosepipe restrictions), authorised persons to gain direct access to our watermains and draw water from hydrants using a portable standpipe supplied by NI Water.

Any direct access to our water supply network can pose a potential risk to the continuity of water supply and water quality to our customers. Due to this, the standpipe licence stipulates standpipe usage procedures that must be adhered to at all times, to ensure the required Health & Safety standards are maintained to protect the water supply network.

Every NI Water standpipe is tagged with an individual registration number that is clearly visible. Each standpipe is fitted with a single tap and a double-check valve as standard, to prevent any back-flow of water re-entering the public supply and ensure water quality is protected.

Term rental:

• for a minimum period of one month and a maximum period of 12 months for a 25mm diameter Standpipe
• for a minimum period of one week and a maximum period of 12 months for a 63mm diameter Standpipe

The charges detailed below includes delivery.

Deposit will be returned when the stand pipe is safely returned without being damaged.

You will require a separate licence for each individual standpipe.

We will ask for advance payment by cheque (incl VAT) or official purchase order before your standpipe licence is issued. Please note that the above charges are excluding VAT. Payment for your licence which includes our corporate standpipe can be made through the NI Water Standpipe Rental Desk. Details of our licence application process, terms and conditions and the current standpipe charges can be obtained by referring to our web site, by email or telephone number as detailed below. Once we have received your standpipe licence payment, we will issue you with a licence, standpipe and receipt.

On receipt of your standpipe licence, you must collect your designated standpipe from our stores at Ballykeel Office, 188 Larne Road, Ballymena, BT42 3HA. Only NI Water standpipes which have been approved for use under a valid licence may be connected to the public water network. 

Prior to using a rented standpipe, we would ask that you watch the following short video, which can be found at CALM Network - YouTube . In this CALM Awareness video we will take you through the correct procedures for operating valves and standpipes to ensure that any potential risks to our network through the use of the standpipe are minimised and to make you aware of the potential consequences should the correct operating procedures not be followed.

If you have any questions about the safe use of one of our hydrants, or whish to check that a particular hydrant is suitable to use in the abstraction of water from our network, please contact Waterline on 03457 440088. 

Two weeks before the end of the licence period you will receive a reminder from our Standpipe Rental Desk highlighting that your standpipe licence period will soon expire. If you do not receive this reminder please contact the Standpipe Rental Desk or complete an Application for a Standpipe Licence : SL to extend your initial hire term.

If you do not return the standpipe you will lose your deposit and this may also result in legal proceedings. It is the responsibility of the licence holder to return the standpipe prior to the expiry of the licence, or to extend the licence.

NI Water standpipes must not be modified in any way. If the standpipe develops a defect then contact the standpipe rental desk where a replacement standpipe and licence will be issued. However subject to the defect, there may be a charge for replacement. If the standpipe is lost or seriously damaged you will lose your deposit.

Should you require any further information or assistance please contact Standpipe Rental desk:

Standpipe Rental Desk,

Northern Ireland Water,

Ballykeel Office,

188 Larne Road,

Ballykeel, Ballymena,

Co Antrim,

BT42 3HA 

Telephone: 03458 770 003
Email: standpiperental[AT]niwater[DOT]com

For more information on how NI Water lawfully processes personal data please view our Privacy Notice at; https://www.niwater.com/privacy/