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Local Government (Water Services) Act 2025

Provision of water services: operational matters - Other operational matters - Fire hydrants

217: Water service providers must ensure water in pipes and available for extinguishing fires

You could also call this:

"Water companies must keep water in pipes so firefighters can use it to put out fires."

Illustration for Local Government (Water Services) Act 2025

You need to know that water service providers have to keep water in the pipes that are connected to fire hydrants, as stated in section 215. This is so that water is always available to put out fires. However, there are some exceptions to this rule, such as during a drought, accident, or repairs.

If there is a fire, you can take water from waterworks or a water race to put it out, and you do not have to pay for it. Waterworks include things like rivers, lakes, and pipes, as well as the land and buildings used to collect and store water. A water race is defined in section 5(1) of the LGA 2002.

During a state of emergency, declared under the Civil Defence Emergency Management Act 2002, the rules might be a bit different, and you will have to follow the instructions of the person in charge.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=LMS1461153.

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216: Territorial authority must place notice or mark near fire hydrants, or

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218: Outline of this Part, or

"What's in this part of the law: planning and managing water services"

Part 3Provision of water services: operational matters
Other operational matters: Fire hydrants

217Water service providers must ensure water in pipes and available for extinguishing fires

  1. A water service provider must, at all times, keep the pipes, to which fire hydrants are attached under section 215, filled with water.

  2. However, subsection (1) does not apply—

  3. in the case of an unusual drought, an accident, or a shortage of the water supply from any cause; or
    1. during necessary repairs, connections, or inspections; or
      1. during a state of emergency declared under the Civil Defence Emergency Management Act 2002.

        1. A water service provider must allow any person to take and use water, free of charge, from any waterworks or water race for the purpose of extinguishing a fire.

        2. However, subsection (3) is subject to the overall requirements of a Controller while a state of emergency exists under the Civil Defence Emergency Management Act 2002.

        3. In this section,—

          water race has the meaning set out in section 5(1) of the LGA 2002

            waterworks includes—

            1. rivers, streams, lakes, waters, and underground waters, and rights relating to them; and
              1. land, watershed, catchment, and water collection areas; and
                1. if vested in a water service provider, or acquired, constructed, or operated by, or under the control of, a water service provider,—
                  1. reservoirs, dams, bores, tanks, and pipes; and
                    1. buildings, machinery, and appliances.

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