Charleston, WV (WOAY)— A bill to enhance fire protection heads to Governor Jim Justice’s desk.
Last year, Justice asked the Public Service Commission (PSC) for a statewide study on the reliability of West Virginia’s 50,000 fire hydrants.
The PSC completed and reported the results to the Legislature in January, which resulted in House Bill 5617.
HB 5617 ensures that all installed fire hydrants are working properly and authorizes the PSC to adopt national standards to ensure their reliability.
Under the legislation, the PSC may issue rules and regulations related to the inspection, flow testing, and maintenance of hydrants.
The state House advanced the bill with an 89 to 2 vote, and Senate lawmakers passed the legislation voting 33 to 0 on Wednesday.
