Fire Hydrant Connection or Tanker Water Use Permits

Permits for Fire Hydrant Connection or Tanker Water Use

Print and submit our Fire Hydrant Connection/Tanker Water Use Permit Application (PDF) in-person with payment by cash, check, Visa, Mastercard or Discover at Utilities Customer Service located in the Bryce A. Stuart Municipal Building Monday - Friday from 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Applications can also be mailed to the address below:

Bryce A. Stuart Municipal Building
ATTN: Utilities Customer Service
100 East First Street, Suite 121
Winston-Salem, NC 27101

The following is a summary of application information from Winston-Salem, NC Water System Policy, Article I, Sec. 17 (b).
View the official policy.

Fire Hydrant Meter

  1. Applicants requesting water service from a fire hydrant must apply to Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Utilities (WSFC Utilities) at least five business days prior to the first date of requested service.
  2. Complete the Fire Hydrant Connection/Tanker Water Use Permit Application with all required information and submit with a $500 non-refundable application fee. Incomplete applications will not be approved.
  3. A $1,500 deposit is required for each reduced pressure backflow hydrant meter assembly and will be applied to the cost of water consumption, potential damages to the hydrant or backflow hydrant meter assembly or any additional costs incurred by WSFC Utilities. See the hydrant meter damage repair costs document for more details.
  4. Fire hydrant connection permits are valid for six months. When six months expires, the applicant will be required to reapply and pay the fee for a new permit.
  5. Applicants must clearly demonstrate an engineering requirement for a higher volume of water than can be delivered through a temporary two-inch or smaller water service connection.
  6. WSFC Utilities reserves the right to deny any application for any fire hydrant connection, and at the applicant’s expense may require installation of a temporary two-inch or smaller water service connection with an approved reduced pressure backflow preventer assembly.
  7. WSFC Utilities owns and maintains a limited number of reduced pressure hydrant meter assemblies and may deny an application due to lack of availability.
  8. Only one specific fire hydrant will be authorized for use by an approved fire hydrant connection permit. A separate permit application is required to use any other fire hydrant, even if located at the same work site.

Proper Operation of a Fire Hydrant (PDF) See video below for basic operation instructions.

Tanker Water Use

  1. Applicants requesting a tanker water use permit must apply to Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Utilities (WSFC Utilities) at least five business days prior to the first date of requested service.
  2. Complete the Fire Hydrant Connection/Tanker Water Use Permit Application with all required information and submit with a $500 non-refundable application fee. Incomplete applications will not be approved.
  3. A $750 flat bulk water fee will be charged for each approved tank or tanker permit.
  4. A permit is required to fill special use tanks or tankers of any type with water from the public water supply, as defined in Article I, Sec. 17 (d) of the Water System Policy.
  5. Permits issued for tanks or tankers are valid for up to twelve months, or until the account is closed. After twelve months, the applicant must reapply and pay the fee for a new permit.
  6. Upon inspection and approval, permit placards will be issued and placed on the tank or tanker for display. Placards will be updated and reissued once annually January 1 through January 31.
  7. Permits issued outside these dates are valid only for the remainder of the twelve-month permit term. The flat bulk water fee will not be prorated for a partial permit term.
  8. Tank water use permits will be revoked upon discovery of any violation, including connection to a fire hydrant without a vehicle air gap that has been inspected and approved by WSFC Utilities.

Application for Connection to Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Utilities