In a recent City Council meeting, West Covina officials addressed the city’s water infrastructure, emphasizing the need for comprehensive maintenance and upgrades. The discussion highlighted that eight different water agencies serve the city, each responsible for hydrant maintenance.
The West Covina Fire Department confirmed that there have been no current issues with dry hydrants or water pressure. However, they stressed the importance of adhering to National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) guidelines, which recommend annual hydrant inspections and flow testing every five years.
Suburban Water Systems, one of the primary utilities serving approximately 300,000 customers, maintains about 7,000 hydrants, including roughly 2,100 within West Covina. The utility noted that many water mains were installed in the 1950s and 1960s. While the goal is to replace about 1% of pipe footage per year, current authorization from the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) is much lower, potentially extending the replacement timeline to several centuries unless the pace is increased.
To address these challenges, city officials discussed both short- and long-term measures, including:
- Conducting spot inspections of hydrants.
- Implementing five-year flow testing.
- Installing backup generators at pump stations.
- Inspecting and recoating reservoir tanks.
- Developing a prioritized, multi-decade pipe-replacement program.
City officials will continue working to obtain full inspection records from smaller water purveyors and will update the Council once non-disclosure agreements are settled. These efforts aim to ensure the reliability and safety of West Covina’s water infrastructure for all residents.