[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Board of the Town of East Greenbush 8-13-2003 by L.L. No. 4-2003 (Ch. 18 of the 1991 Code). Amendments noted where applicable.]
The New York State Fire Prevention and Building Code has placed in effect state rules and regulations under NFC Vol. 2 NFPA 25 establishing certain rules and regulations regarding the testing, maintenance, inspection and certification of all fire hydrants located within any of its municipal jurisdiction, including the Town of East Greenbush; and whereas there are numerous hydrants located within the Town that are on privately owned premises and are privately maintained, but nonetheless fall within the testing and certifications as articulated above, the Town Board of the Town of East Greenbush does hereby establish as Local Law No. 4 of 2003 the following.
A. 
All fire hydrants located within the geographical boundaries of the Town of East Greenbush shall be maintained and shall conform to the following requirements as established and directed by the National Fire Code and the New York State Fire Prevention and Building Code.
B. 
All fire hydrants situated and located within the Town of East Greenbush shall be annually tested to ensure proper functioning. Testing shall encompass but be limited to the opening and full flowing of each hydrant until all foreign matter has been cleared, and thereafter flows shall be maintained for a period in excess of one minute.
C. 
Following operation, as set forth in Subsection A (above), all hydrants shall be observed for proper barrel drainage. Such verification of drainage within 60 minutes, and if not drained fully within 60 minutes due to soil conditions or other factors, a plan established such that the hydrant drain by plugged and the water in the barrel be pumped out within 30 minutes of the discontinuance of use of said hydrant.
D. 
Any dry barrel hydrants located in areas subject to freezing weather that have plugged drains shall clearly be identified as requiring pumping flowing operation.
Monitor nozzles mounted on hydrants shall be tested as specified in § 15-2 above and such nozzles shall be oscillated and moved throughout their full range annually to ensure proper operability.
A. 
All hoses shall be tested in accordance with the National Fire Protection Association Code for standards of care, usage, service and testing, including couplings and nozzles.
B. 
Hose houses. Hose houses shall be maintained annually in such condition to ensure that all fire hose and required attendant equipment and components are fully functional and in proper usable condition.
All maintenance of the above-referenced equipment and materials attendant thereto shall be maintained in proper working condition consistent with the manufacturer's recommendations. Mainline strainers shall be cleaned annually following each inspection, and hydrants and nozzles shall be lubricated annually to ensure that all stems, caps, plugs, threads or other movable devices are in proper operating condition. Each hydrant shall be clear of any brush, debris and obstructions at a minimum of three feet in all directions. Failure to properly maintain any hydrant shall be considered a violation of this chapter.
Hydrants shall, at all times, be kept free of snow, ice or other materials at a minimum of three feet in all directions and protected against mechanical damage so that free access is ensured. Failure to clean access to any hydrant within 48 hours from the end of a snowfall shall be considered a violation of this chapter.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I)]
The East Greenbush Water and Sewer Department, the East Greenbush Department of Public Works, the Town Clerk and the Town Code Enforcement Official shall maintain complete and thorough records with respect to compliance with the above-set-forth requirements. Certification may be required as to compliance thereof dependent upon the party performing the inspection. Failure to provide the information shall be considered a violation of this chapter.
Such testing shall occur during the late spring and early summer of each year, beginning by May 1 of each year and ending by June 30 of each year, and must be certified by a licensed engineer. Failure of any hydrant premises owners to file a full compliance report by July 21 of each year to the offices stated above shall be considered a violation of this chapter.
A. 
Upon any violation and after due notice to the premises' owner, in writing, the municipality may enter upon the premises and conduct such inspection. The fee for any such inspection shall be the sum of $250 per hydrant. Failure to remediate or correct any failures, inoperability or noncompliance within the time frame stated in the notice shall constitute a violation punishable by a fine not less than $250 per hydrant. Each day of any such violation shall be and constitute a separate and distinct violation. Failure to file the requested monitoring report or attentively fail to correct any noncompliance with this chapter on or before July 21 of each year shall be considered a separate violation punishable by the respective fine daily, as assessed above.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I)]
B. 
In the event that five or more consecutive days shall pass beyond July 21 of each year for a violation for failure to file the requested report, or failure to correct any defect in compliance, the municipality may enter upon the premises to correct and remediate such defect as to bring the same into full compliance. Should the same be required, the full cost of such remediation shall be billed to and paid by the property owner in addition to any fines assessed as previously set forth.
C. 
In the alternative, the hydrant premises owner may contact the Town of East Greenbush for the Town to perform the inspection and testing as above required. The fee for such testing shall be listed on the fee schedule located in the Water and Sewer Department, and the hydrant premises owner shall notify the Town no later than May 21 of each year of such request for the Town to perform the inspection. The hydrant premises owner and the Town shall execute an agreement providing for the same in such format as the Town shall require.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I)]