Mulching helps the seed or seedlings to get established. Place a sign to identify the dry hydrant and warn people against parking or obstructing access. Paint the cap a reflective color for improved visibility during emergencies. If the exposed PVC is not sunscreen protected, the pipe must be painted to prevent chemical decomposition from ultraviolet light. Maintenance and Training New installations should be initially flushed to ensure removal of any debris that could be harmful to pumps.
Dry hydrants require quarterly inspection, testing and maintenance.
More frequent cleaning may be needed at streams and ponds to make sure that silt and aquatic growth do not clog the water intake. Aquatic growth can be a special problem in ponds and in slow-moving water sources in some parts of the country. In extreme cases it may be necessary to drain a pond to control the growth. This will require careful timing and good communications to assure that other water sources are available for emergencies and that the pond will refill without undue delay. Hydrants should be tested with a pumper once a year and backflushed as part of training exercises.