Unitywater has completed the replacement of 2,462 fire hydrants and 155 valves across its service area, improving water pressure and flow rates critical for firefighting.
The works form part of Unitywater’s $400 million replacements and renewals program, which is upgrading water and wastewater assets over the next five years to support safety, reliability and long-term network performance.
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Where hydrant upgrades have been delivered
Unitywater Acting Executive Manager Sustainable Infrastructure Solutions Ivan Beirne said the program has delivered widespread improvements across South East Queensland.
“Over the past two years, 676 fire hydrants were replaced across the Sunshine Coast and Noosa, with a further 1,786 replaced in the Moreton Bay region,” Beirne said.
These upgrades ensure hydrants meet the required standards for emergency response, particularly during bushfire and structural fire events.
Ongoing inspection and maintenance at scale
Beyond replacements, Unitywater has invested heavily in inspection and maintenance to ensure the broader hydrant network remains operational.
“We’ve completed an inspection and maintenance program covering more than 68,000 hydrants and carried out 10,000 maintenance jobs over the past five years,” Beirne said. “This is a significant investment to support community safety.”
The program helps identify performance issues early, reducing the risk of failure when hydrants are needed most.
Improving access and asset condition
Beirne said the valve and hydrant replacement works focused on assets nearing the end of their useful life, while also improving accessibility.
“Some hydrants were located in driveways or gardens, making access difficult,” he said. “Where excavation works are required, our crews work closely with residents to manage access and ensure sites are restored once works are complete.”
Unitywater says disruption is kept to a minimum, with advance notification provided if temporary water outages are required.
What comes next for the hydrant network
The hydrant renewal program is ongoing, with further works already planned.
“This is an ongoing maintenance program and an additional 500 fire hydrants will be replaced during the 2025–26 financial year,” Beirne said.
As population growth and climate risks increase across the region, Unitywater says proactive renewal of critical firefighting infrastructure will remain a priority to safeguard communities.