Fire Hydrant: Request for Temporary Use
Effective July 1, 2026, the Rules and Regulations Governing Hydrant Use for Temporary Water Supply has gone into effect, along with revised charges, rates, and fees.
SFPUC Customer Services at 525 Golden Gate Avenue are open Monday to Friday, except on City holidays:
In-Person Onsite Hours: 9 am to 4:30 pm
Customer Service Phone: 8 am to 5 pm except Wednesdays, 9 am to 5 pm, at 415-551-4770, excluding legal holidays.
SFPUC Water Department, City Distribution Division (CDD) Meter Shop is open by appointment only Monday to Friday 7:30 am to 11:30 am and 12 pm - 3 pm, except City holidays.
Hydrants in the City and County of San Francisco are owned and operated by the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission and connected to the SFPUC water system to serve the SFPUC’s retail water customers within the City. While hydrants are located so they may be used for fire suppression to protect the SFPUC’s retail water customers’ property, the SFPUC also allows hydrant use permit seekers to apply for a revocable permit (Permit) to use its low-pressured fire hydrants within the City for temporary water supply for a period of up to 6 months for the limited purposes of general construction, filmmaking, special events, and mobile sanitation services, with the opportunity for a one-time, 6 month renewal, subject to certain terms and conditions. This Permit program does not include access to any of the high-pressured hydrants owned and operated by the SFPUC that comprise the San Francisco Emergency Firefighting Water System within the City.
A Hydrant Use applicant that receives a Permit shall connect to and draw water from the specific hydrant associated with its Permit using only the SFPUC-authorized Hydrant Meter Equipment provided to that permit holder by the SFWD, CDD Meter Shop for use during the Permit term. No non-SFPUC-issued equipment or hard-pipe plumbing of any form shall be used to connect to or draw water from a hydrant at any time. The Hydrant Meter Equipment (Including a meter, hydrant connection, flex hose, and spanner wrench) is SFPUC property, temporarily rented by the customer, and shall be used only at the location specified in the customer’s Permit. Permittees with Permits shall report their meter readings to the SFPUC every 2 months on the schedule specified in their Permit and return all Hydrant Meter Equipment to the SFWD CDD Meter Shop no later than 5 calendar days after the Permit’s end date. Permittees are prohibited from subleasing or transferring the SFWD-Issued Hydrant Meter Equipment to any other party.
To obtain a Permit from the SFPUC, and maintain authorization to connect to and draw water from a hydrant for the Permit duration, permit seekers must (1) submit an application and provide the SFPUC with all information requested, (2) pay all applicable fees and charges at the time of application and during the Permit term, and (3) comply with all SFPUC rules and regulations governing water service and hydrant use and the terms and conditions of their Permits.
| Charges, Rates, and Fees* | 1-inch meter | 3-inch meter |
|---|---|---|
| Deposit | $3,716.45 | $5,556.45 |
| Connection fee | $955 | $955 |
| Monthly service charge | $71.07 | $357.10 |
| Cost per unit of water | $13.13 | $13.13 |
| Utility tax | 7.50%& | 7.50% |
| Non-reporting penalty | $328.22 | $328.22 |
| Flushing fee** | $1,668.68 | $1,668.68 |
| Damaged parts | Actual Cost | Actual cost |
| Lost or stolen meter | $3,716.45 | $5,556.45 |
*Rates are subject to change at the beginning of each fiscal year without notice to hydrant meter permittees. For additional details, refer to Schedule W-5 and W-41B of the Rate Schedules & Fees for Water and Sewer Service.
**Per hydrant
Review the Following Rules and Appendices for Requesting Temporary Use of Hydrants
- Rules Governing Hydrant Meter For Temporary Water Supply
- Appendix A: Application For Hydrant Use And Meter Equipment Permit
- Appendix B: Renewal Application For Hydrant Use And Meter Equipment Permit
- Appendix C: List Of Hydrants Designated For Use By Permittees For Mobile Sanitation Services
- Appendix D: Technical Standards And Operating Procedures For Hydrant And Hydrant Meter Equipment
- Appendix E: Permittee Agreement And Acknowledgment Form
- Appendix F: Permit Fees, Charges, And Deposits
- Appendix G: Form For Request For Review Or Appeal Of Citation Or Permit Revocation
Email completed applications to csbhydrantmeter@sfwater.org. Applicants will be contacted via email of the application status. For more information and questions, please call Customer Service at 415-551-4770, Monday to Friday, 8 am to 4:30 pm, except City holidays.