Fire Department Water Supply Plan Review 

Fire department water supply plan review begins with development review and continues through building permit review, including review of public infrastructure and private utility plans. Where applicable, please provide the following for review:  

• Site plan showing all structures, new and existing
• Proposed streets, driveways, access roads, fencing, gates, and barriers
• Hydraulic calculations showing minimum fire flow or automatic/manual fire protection system demand (whichever is greater)
• Fire service mains (public and private), including thrust blocks and anchor points - size, class, location, depth of cover detail(s), applicable calculations, and manufacturer's specification sheets
• Backflow prevention devices, control valves - size, type, location, and manufacturer's specification sheets 
• Fire hydrants (public and private) - type, location, and manufacturer's specification sheets
• Fire department connection (FDC)
• Post indicator valve (PIV)
• Other fire protection equipment

Timing of Installation

Fire protection water supplies shall be installed and made serviceable prior to construction or to the movement of combustible materials on site, unless an alternative method of protection is approved by the fire code official.

Water Supply Requirements

Fire Flow

Fire flow calculations per the Oregon Fire Code, Appendix B shall be provided.  A reduction in fire flow of up to 50 percent is permitted for buildings with an approved fire sprinkler system. The required fire flow will determine the number and placement of hydrants on the property per the Oregon Fire Code, Appendix C.

Fire flow data can be requested from City of Hillsboro Water Department or Tualatin Valley Water District.

For your convenience, this downloadable fire flow and hydrant worksheet can automatically calculates the required fire flow and number of hydrants in accordance with the Hillsboro Municipal Code.  Please submit the completed worksheet through ProjectDox for all applicable permits. 

Hydrants 

• Hydrants shall be located such that no part of any building is more than 400 feet from a fire hydrant located along a fire apparatus access road, as measured by an approved route around the exterior of the building. The distance can be extended to 600 feet for Group R-3 and Group U occupancies.  The distance cannot be extended for buildings equipped with a fire sprinkler system in the City of Hillsboro.      
• Existing private hydrants on adjacent properties shall not be considered available unless fire apparatus access roads extend between properties and emergency access easements are established.
• Fire hydrants shall be located at least 40 feet from the building(s) to be protected.
• Access to fire hydrants shall not be obstructed; plan location of landscaping, plants and shrubs accordingly. Provide 3-foot clear space around the circumference of fire hydrants, which includes vegetation, fences, utility poles, bollards, and barricades.
• All hydrants are to stand plumb with ports parallel or at right angles to the curb with pumper connection facing the curb. Hillsboro Fire & Rescue shall determine the final position of port orientation.
• Parking shall be prohibited within 10 feet of a fire hydrant. Where fire hydrants are subject to impact by a motor vehicle, approved protection shall be installed.
• Average spacing of hydrants is reduced by 50 feet for dead-end streets or roadways.
• Where new water mains are extended along streets where hydrants are not needed for protection of structures or similar fire problems, fire hydrants shall be provided at spacing not to exceed 1,000 feet to provide for transportation hazards.
• Hydrants shall be required on both sides of public streets with an average spacing of 500 feet on each side of the street and be arranged on an alternating basis whenever one or more of the following conditions exist:
  • Streets have median center dividers that make access to hydrants difficult, cause time delay, or create undue hazard or both.
  • When there are four or more lanes of traffic.
  • The existing street will be widened or have a raised median center divider in the future, pursuant to the City of Hillsboro Transportation System Plan.
  • Any street designated as an arterial route by the City of Hillsboro.

Hydrant Markers   

Blue reflective markers shall be provided on the roadway to identify fire hydrant locations. The markers shall be secured to the roadway perpendicular to the hydrant and as follows (City of Hillsboro Public Works Design & Construction Standards:

• On roadways without center stripes, the blue markers shall be set in the center of the roadway.
• On undivided, striped roadways, blue markers shall be set 6 inches to the hydrant side of the center stripe.
• On divided roadways, the blue markers shall be set 6 inches to the side of the lane striping that is closest to the hydrant.

Backflow Prevention

Installation shall comply with City of Hillsboro Public Works Design & Construction Standards (Drawing 640-5A, 5B, 5C) or Tualatin Valley Water District Water System Design and Construction Standards (Detail 801).

Fire Department Connection (FDC)

Location

• The FDC shall be located on the address side of the building unless otherwise approved by the fire code official and the inlets shall face the fire department apparatus access road .  
• The FDC shall be located with respect to driveways so fire apparatus and hose connected to supply the system will not obstruct access to the building for other fire apparatus.
• The FDC shall be installed on the system side of the indicating valves. No shutoff valve shall be permitted in the piping from the FDC to the point that the FDC piping connects to the system piping.
• The FDC shall be located within 100 feet of a public hydrant, or private hydrant that is isolated from the FDC to prevent circular water flow.
• The FDC shall be located at least 40 feet from the building being protected.
  • Exception: When FDCs cannot be installed with the required clearance, the code official may approve a reduced distance or approve a wall mounted FDC. 
• A minimum of 3 feet of working clearance shall be maintained around a remote FDC. A minimum working clearance around a wall mounted FDC shall be not less than 36 inches in width, 36 inches in depth, and 78 inches in height.  
• The FDC shall be protected when placed in locations subject to impact by motor vehicles.

Design

• The number and size of FDC inlets shall be determined by the fire sprinkler and/or standpipe demand.
  • An FDC for a fire sprinkler system shall consist of two 2 1/2 inch connections. 
  • Standpipe systems shall be provided with one 2 1/2 inch inlet per every 250 gpm demand.  
• The pipe between the check valve and outside hose coupling shall have an approved automatic drip and shall be installed in a location that permits inspection and testing.          
• The FDC check valve shall be accessible. Check valves shall not be buried and vaults shall be of adequate size to allow for maintenance. 
• The FDC shall be located not less than 18 inches nor more than 48 inches above grade surface. 
• Each FDC hose coupling shall be equipped with a Knox FDC Lock (see Knox Product Installations standard for detailed information).

Signage

• A metal sign with raised letters at least 1 inch in size shall be mounted on all FDCs and read "AUTOMATIC SPRINKLERS OR STANDPIPES OR TEST CONNECTION" or a combination thereof.
• Where the system demand pressure exceeds 150 psi, the sign shall indicate the required pressure. 
• Where an FDC serves multiple buildings or only a portion of a building a sign shall be attached indicating the buildings or portion of the building served. 
• Hillsboro Fire and Rescue will apply the numerical address of the building(s) served by the FDC with numbers and/or letters at least 2 inches tall and ½ inch wide stroke on a contrasting background. The FDC will also be marked with one or more of the following colors of reflective tape:
  • Blue when supplying fire sprinkler systems
  • Red when supplying standpipe systems
  • Yellow when supplying private fire service hydrants.

Post Indicator Valve (PIV) 

• A PIV shall be installed not less than 40 feet from the protected building, unless an alternative design is approved by the fire code official. 
• The installation height of the PIV shall be 32 to 40 inches above the final grade.  
• When there is more than one fire sprinkler protected building on a common fire protection system, each building shall have a separate outside indicating valve, unless approved by the fire code official.
• A minimum of 3 feet of working clearance shall be maintained around the PIV.
• The PIV shall be electrically supervised by a listed fire alarm control unit per the Oregon Fire Code. A padlock is not sufficient for securing a valve controlling the water supply to a sprinkler system.   
• A remote PIV shall have a breakaway padlock securing the removable handled.  A wall mounted PIV shall have a chain and lock to prevent tampering.