Products to Deter Water Contamination Through Fire Hydrants Unveiled by Mueller Co.

North America's largest manufacturer of products for water distribution systems showcased two new fire hydrant security products at the Annual American Water Work Association Conference and Exhibition, which opened Sunday in Toronto, Canada. The products are designed to deter attempts to contaminate the public water supply through fire hydrants, a danger that has received greater attention since 9/11.

The new Mueller(R) Super Centurion 250/HS(TM) "High Security" Fire Hydrant includes a check valve as an integral part of the hydrant connection to the water main. It blocks any reverse flow of water borne contaminants from the hydrant back into the public water main. A companion product, the Mueller(R) Nozzle Check Valve, is intended to prevent the introduction of contaminants into hydrants through an opened nozzle. Both products are available for new hydrant installations, while the Nozzle Check Valve works especially well for retrofit to existing hydrants.

"These two products work 24/7 to deter infiltration of the water supply by contaminants, whether they are introduced deliberately or accidentally," explained Ken Clark, Mueller Co. Marketing Vice President. "And they accomplish this without having any affect whatsoever on the normal operation or maintenance of the hydrant. This 'passive' protection means fire emergency personnel will not need special tools to use the hydrant, and water utilities will not have to modify how they maintain hydrants in their systems."

The check valve in the 250/HS hydrant uses a fabric and steel reinforced rubber flapper in the hydrant's shoe to prevent reverse flow of water. The underlying valve design has performed reliably in field installations of the Company's check valves for many years.

The Nozzle Check Valve uses a stainless steel disc and mechanism to lock the disc against a rubber seat in the nozzle. This mechanism prevents the disc from being opened from the outside of the hydrant, yet the disc mechanism is designed to open fully under the full flow of water from inside the hydrant.