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In certain situations you may be able to obtain emergency drinking water from fire hydrants. Should you do so, and is this even legal you may ask? For the most part, opening a fire hydrant on a municipal water line is against the law and should never be attempted. Secondly, if the hydrant is still pressurized, the force of the unregulated water could cause injury or even death. Also, if citizens begin randomly opening fire hydrants, this may result in a loss of pressure when it is needed for actual firefighting.

A West Philadelphia neighborhood has lost its block party privileges, and others around the city will have to find an alternate form of aquatic entertainment after the Philadelphia Department of Licenses & Inspections came down with a firm – if obvious – edict: Residents are not allowed to tap into fire hydrants to turn dumpsters into swimming pools. "We are not screwing around, Philly," the Department of Licenses & Inspections wrote, listing several reasons why "you shouldn’t swim in a receptacle most often used for waste." City officials said they were obliged to make that declaration after several residents in...

Recently the EPA ruled that New York City had to replace 1,300 fire hydrants because of their lead content. The ruling was based on the Drinking Water Act passed by Congress in 2011. As Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY) pointed out while lambasting the agency, “I don’t know a single New Yorker who goes out to their fire hydrants every morning, turns it on, and brushes their teeth using the water from these hydrants. It makes no sense whatsoever.” Reportedly, the Senate is poised to consider legislation exempting fire hydrants if the EPA does not revise its ruling.

ROCKWALL COUNTY - A North Texas homeowner wants you to learn from his family's tragedy. The fire hydrants in his neighborhood are turned off. But he didn't know that until June 24th, the night his house caught fire. "My grandfather died last year. My wife's grandfather died last year. All our pictures were the biggest thing that we lost," said Eric Aderholt. It didn't have to happen. When the fire began, firefighters from around Rockwall County responded quickly. But when they went to hook hose to hydrant, there was no water. "No one ever told us that they were turned...

Dozens of fire hydrants across the District are not in working order, including the two closest to Monday's fire at the D.C. public library in Georgetown. Fire and union officials say the faulty hydrants often aren't discovered until a fire breaks out, as was the case in Georgetown.... The city has struggled for years to keep hydrants in good working order, firefighters said. With nearly 9,300 hydrants citywide, keeping up with inspections can be difficult, they said. Some broken hydrants are clearly marked, but only those that have been identified as needing repair. The D.C. Water and Sewer Authority oversees...