Section 3-23

Use of and Damage to Fire Hydrants, Change in Hydrant Location, Responsibility for Maintenance and Operation of Private Hydrants

  (a)    Any use of a fire hydrant or tampering therewith or the taking of
      water therefrom for purposes other than fire protection by persons
      other than authorized employees of the fire department or of the
      department is hereby prohibited, except upon prior application to and
      written permit by the department. The fire department shall have the
      prior right to use any hydrant at any time and shall have the authority
      to remove peremptorily, if necessary in case of fire, any connection
      that may be made to a hydrant under a permit issued by the department.
      Application for a permit for the use of a fire hydrant for purposes
      other than fire protection shall be made in writing to the department
      and when required shall be accompanied by a deposit in cash.  It shall
      be nontransferable and shall be shown upon demand by the permittee, its
      agents or employees.  The department reserves the right to reject any
      application and/or to refuse to issue any permit and/or to revoke any
      permit at any time.  The department also reserves the right to perform
      for the permittee at his expense the work of installing and/or removing
      the connection and/or of operating the hydrant.  No permit will be
      issued unless the permittee agrees to notify the department in writing
      as soon as the use of the hydrant is finished.  In the event that a
      permit shall be revoked, the use of the hydrant thereunder shall cease
      immediately and all connections thereto shall be properly removed
      forthwith.  The department will inspect each hydrant which has been
      used under a permit, and all costs of repairs which the department may
      adjudge to be due to such use and the cost of inspection shall be paid
      for by the permittee.  All water drawn from a hydrant under permit
      shall be metered or estimated as to quantity in a manner satisfactory
      to the department and shall be paid for by the permittee at the current
      water rates.  The permittee shall pay all of the costs of connecting
      to and disconnecting from the hydrant.  Only regulation fire hydrant
      wrenches which shall have been approved by the department shall be used
      for the operation of fire hydrants.  The use of any other type of
      wrench or operating device shall not be permitted.  The permit will be
      revoked if other than approved regulation fire hydrant wrenches are used.
      The permittee shall report promptly any defect in or damage to the hydrant.
      The cost of any damage to property or of any injury to persons resulting
      from the use of the hydrant shall be paid for by the permittee.  The
      department will not be held responsible for any damage to property or
      injury to persons arising from the use of any hydrant under permit as
      aforesaid.  The use of any hydrant under a permit and the connections
      thereto shall be subject to the direction an approval of the department.
      Hydrant main line valves shall not be used to control flow.
  (b)    The department will, if it approves the request of a consumer for a
      change in location of a hydrant, change such location, provided the
      cost of all labor and material is paid by the party requesting such
      change.
  (c)    The consumer shall at his expense test periodically and keep in
      good and safe working condition including proper maintenance all
      private hydrants under his control and not under the jurisdiction of
      the department.  The department will not be responsible for any loss
      or damage caused by any hydrant for any cause whatsoever.