Westmoreland County allocates $250,000 for fire hydrants

The Municipal Authority of Westmoreland County has set aside $250,000 to install and replace fire hydrants in its service area for the 2025-2026 fiscal year. This funding is part of the authority's yearly plan to improve the water system. Board members approved a contract to buy new hydrants. Each new hydrant will cost about $2,485. However, the exact number of hydrants to be installed or replaced is not yet known. Authority Manager Mike Kukura stated that inspections will determine which hydrants need replacing. The authority manages about 8,800 fire hydrants across Westmoreland, Allegheny, Armstrong, Fayette, and Indiana counties. Each hydrant is inspected roughly every 16 months. A recent investigation revealed that while hydrants are inspected, there are no regulations on how much water they can produce. Flow tests are rarely conducted. So far in 2025, no flow tests have been performed. Since 2014, the authority has completed 517 flow tests. In 2023, 1,259 hydrant inspections have taken place, with 670 done in February. Seven hydrants were found inoperable and are scheduled for replacement, while two need repairs. Four new hydrants and one replacement were installed last month. The funding for hydrant replacements is part of a $129 million budget approved in January. This budget also includes a 9.5% increase in water and sewer rates to cover rising costs, as well as $75 million in borrowing for system upgrades over the next five years. Kukura noted that this money will aid various upgrades, including the expansion of the Indian Creek Water Treatment plant.