Fire Hydrant Colors (emergency=fire_hydrant + colour)

[Tex2002ans]

In some countries, the color of fire hydrants can tell important information (flow rate being the biggest).

For example, in much of the US, the OSM Wiki on emergency=fire_hydrant says this coloring system may apply:

• Light blue = more than 1500 US gal/min
• Green = between 1500 and 1000 US gal/min
• Yellow = between 1000 and 500 US gal/min
• Red = less than 500 US gal/min

According to emergency=fire_hydrant on taginfo, there are:

• ~2 million emergency=fire_hydrant.
  • ~840k fire_hydrant:type=pillar
• ~156k have a colour.

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General

Affected tag(s) to be modified/added:

• emergency=fire_hydrant + colour
  • 1st most important.

and these 2 lower-priority optional quests too (see Notes below):

• bonnet:colour
  • 2nd most important.
  • bonnet:colour (~16.6k usages) so far.
• cap:colour
  • By far, the least least important.
  • cap:colour (~14.6k usages) so far.

Question asked: "What is the color of this fire hydrant?

Checklist

Checklist for quest suggestions (see guidelines):

• 🚧 To be added tag is established and has a useful purpose
• 🤔 Any answer the user can give must have an equivalent tagging (Quest should not reappear to other users when solved by one)
• 🐿️ Easily answerable by any pedestrian from the outside but a survey is necessary
• 💤 Not an overwhelming percentage of quests have the same answer (No spam)
• 🕓 Applies to a reasonable number of map data (Worth the effort)

Ideas for implementation

Element selection: This quest can be asked on:

• Any emergency=fire_hydrant that DOES NOT have a colour on it.
  • Probably limited to fire_hydrant:type=pillar only.
  • (Don't see how it would be applicable to underground ones.)

Metadata needed: N/A.

Proposed UI: The UI could have:

• (Optional) A photo or 2 of pillar fire hydrants
  • Maybe 1 fully red + 1 fully yellow?
• A simple 3x2 or 3x3 grid of color squares.
  • With the most popular 7 colors first.
    • (See list below.)
  • You select color square, and checkmark appears.

Notes:

• Main colour should probably be limited to 1 color only.
• Should be lower priority quests, popping up only after the type + location gets answered.

Most Popular Fire Hydrant Colors

According to taginfo...

Ranking most->least popular, the fire hydrant colours are:

• ~81.0k red
• ~39.6k yellow
• ~7.8k orange
• ~3.9k gray
• ~3.9k blue
• ~2.6k green
• ~2.3k silver
• ~1.9k colour=#ff0000
  • Which is red.
• (There are no other colours listed.)

Personally, since I began mapping, I have seen mixes of:

• Yellow
• Red
• Yellow or Red (with Green top/caps)
• Silver (with Light Blue top/caps)

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Optional Quests

These pillar-type hydrants tend to have 3 main parts:

• bonnet = the "top hat"
• pillar = the main body
• coupling / caps = the things they hook the hoses to.

While most hydrants are 100% painted the same color, sometimes the bonnet's color is used to represent the flow rate (or what size pipes it's connected to) instead!

Bonnet Color

For example, here is photos of a:

• red hydrant with a green bonnet
• yellow hydrant with a green bonnet

Note: No idea how much spam this quest might cause though (and how to deal with making quest not pop up or create "redundant data" on the "100% painted-same-color" ones...)

This might also cut down on people who might be confused and press "Uh..." on main Hydrant Color quest, because they might think Yellow/Green or Silver/Blue is "multi-colored", and they should only be limited to 1 for that quest type.

Note 2: Instead of being limited to the 7 popular colors above... these may have extra colors like black or white.

Cap Color

If bonnet color gets added, then likely the person would also want to answer this one.

For example, here is a...

• red hydrant with white bonnet/caps
• blue hydrant with white bonnet and red caps

I'm not too sure how popular they are in the real-world... but:

• This "cap color" quest might be a little more complicated + need multi-color selection (at least 2).
  • Personally, I have seen a handful of hydrants with mixed color caps (3 or 4 caps painted 2 different colors).
  • The VAST majority of these answers will probably only need 1 color though.

With multi-color caps... OSM so far lists:

• 967 = yellow;black
• 5 = red;silver

But, for the most part, I see:

• Everything matching.
• OR only bonnet different color.
• OR bonnets + caps being painted in same colors.

I suspect that's how the VAST majority of real-life hydrants are.

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Side Note: Looks like there can be a huge mix of "non-standard" colors too:

• Colossal: "‘The Hydrant Directory’ Catalogs the Color Palettes of Community-Painted Infrastructure" by Grace Ebert (June 3, 2024)

(But so far, I don't see any proof of those crazy colors making its way into OSM... yet...)

So...:

• The 7 most popular colors ONLY would probably be fine.
• For bonnets/caps, perhaps the 7 most popular up top.
  • With extra grid of squares with your basic HTML colors
    • Like "black" / "white" / "light blue".
  • Maybe those can also put the fire hydrant's colour square in the very first position?
    • So a colour=red hydrant would auto-insert red square in 1st slot for a bonnet/caps quest.
    • Maybe make that "more prominent" with a 1x1 square on its own row, then others listed below?

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Use-Case: The hydrants in my area are mostly just 100% yellow or 100% red. Would be nice to be able to quickly add that info while on-the-ground (and answering the other 2 fire hydrant quests) though. As of now, I've been adding the color in iD when I get back home.

[westnordost]

Needs research in which country or state which colors mean what. I'd also tend towards then tagging what the color means, rather than the color itself.

[Tex2002ans]

Needs research in which country or state which colors mean what. [...]

In the US at least, it's a giant hodgepodge all dependent on local jurisdictions. Here's one article:

• "#286 – Fire Hydrant Colors: Their NFPA Spectrum and Meaning" (Quick Response Fire Supply) (2019)

Fire hydrants are painted different colors [...]

Fire hydrants are reservoirs for life-saving water. Many people are unaware, however, that the paint color and select markings on a specific hydrant convey key information to aid in firefighting and safety. [...]

The standardization of fire hydrant colors

Knowledge of hydrant colors communicates key information that allows snap decision-making before hooking up a fire hose, but this highly codified color system is not uniform across the United States.

[...] The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has defined hydrant color coding, yet many jurisdictions have also developed specific color-code charts and rules of their own.

and this much further down:

A lack of uniformity and the San Francisco example

The lack of uniformity in color coding can result in minor or major local digressions from NFPA 291. A foolproof color-coding system does not exist nationally, but almost all local fire districts do have a hydrant color code in place. It is unwise to assume that colors strictly follow NFPA 291, and local fire hydrant schema should always be consulted. [...]

I suspect the vast bulk of them DO follow those coloring standards (especially newer hydrants), but it won't be uniform across the country/state/counties/cities.

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I'd also tend towards then tagging what the color means, rather than the color itself.

Well, for the US looks like there's:

• fire_hydrant:awwa_class=
  • American Water Works Association (AWWA)

which matches with the US coloring scheme I initially listed:

• AA = Light blue
• A = Green
• B = Yellow
• C = Red

... but like the linked article described, that 1-to-1 "colour<->type mapping" IS NOT necessarily true.

AND where hydrant colours can be answered by anybody at a glance—that more technical type of quest DEFINITELY seems like something the normal person can't answer without (local) firefighting-specific knowledge.

(At least as far as the US is concerned. Maybe other countries have more uniform hydrant colors/standards.)

Personally, I think getting the colors tagged would be a great first step. THEN, if someone with more domain-specific knowledge wants to come along, they can quickly use the color(+location/county) data to refine things further with those optional tags.

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Note: That article above also references:

• NFPA 291: "Recommended Practice for Water Flow Testing and Marking of Hydrants"
  • National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)

Perhaps much more detailed info can be found there too.

(One quick difference I noticed was NFPA listed Class B as "Orange" color instead of "Yellow" like the AWWA standard.)

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Random Side Note: Just today, right after I posted this, I was answering someone's OSM Note, adding some things around a high school. Turns out, the user added all the fire_hydrant:awwa_class in the area, but not the colors! So I updated them. :)

(Maybe the person was a volunteer firefighter or something.)

And, another strange/random coincidence. This morning, I just listened to this great podcast episode:

• The Way I Heard It #387: "Firefighters Share SHOCKING Stories with Mike Rowe"

I was catching up on my usual podcast backlog, and it played a few hours after I wrote up and submitted this issue!

Must've been a sign that more OSM fire hydrant data has to be added!!! :D

[westnordost]

I see, so to summarize:

• it should be enabled only the US and any other country that follows the AWWA / NFPA standard. Probably not a lot, because who else uses gallons?
• the colors should be tagged rather than the fire_hydrant:awwa_class because it is not (guaranteed) to be consistent
• private hydrants have a red body, public hydrants have a yellow (or white/gray/... reflective body)
• there are chiefly 4-5 different colors used on the caps / bonnet to signify different water flow, deviations exist

I also did read the article you linked, but did not quite understand the meaning of the bonnet color. It seemed to only mention the cap color. Or is it usually the same?

As for the quest interface itself, I think it would be better to let the user have define the colors in one quest, because if there was first a quest about only the body color and only later the cap and bonnet color, many users will likely answer "uh..." -> "it has multiple colors". How the UI for this ask-all-the-three-things-at-once quest would look like depends on how much percent of hydrants is single color only. If it is indeed the vast majority, then hiding the ability to color all the three section separately behind the "uh..." seems fine to me. UI could look like a outlined drawing of a hydrant, allowing the user to color each section by tapping on it.
Then again, if the body color does just signify whether it is a private or public hydrant (usually), this does not seem like such an important information - this property can usually derived roughly from the location it is in and in an emergency, it seems it would not really matter whether the hydrant is on public or private property. So, we could just ask about the cap/bonnet color.

[1ec5]

I think it’s easy to overestimate the degree of standardization based on what firefighting organizations would like to be the case. In practice, municipalities get very creative with hydrant paint jobs, just as with any other street furniture. For example, many a patriotic town has painted up their hydrants in red, white, and blue with Stars and Stripes. How will StreetComplete tag the feature in response to the answer, “It’s complicated”?

The good news is that this creativity typically only applies to the pillar; even the most artistic designs tend to have uniform, contrasting cap and bonnet colors so that firefighters can easily use the hydrant. Just don’t try to impart any meaning from these colors on a national scale.

In terms of the “spamminess” question, I think there will be some degree of repetition that users in inner cities will feel more acutely than users in suburbs. Most municipalities have a uniform paint scheme citywide, or per neighborhood.

[rhhsm]

This quest should only be active for areas where it's sure that the color has a meaning. The meaning may vary, but then it's better to ask for the color (so it's "Easily answerable by any pedestrian from the outside") and assume that the users of that information (fire departments) know what the color means.

[Tex2002ans]

It should be enabled only the US and any other country that follows the AWWA / NFPA standard. Probably not a lot, because who else uses gallons?

I would probably say it should be enabled:

• Anywhere there are pillar hydrants.

But... it might also be a good idea to start US first, then expand/refine quest as needed (?).

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According to taginfo's bonnet:colour Map + cap:colour Map, looks like it is currently:

• All over Europe
• (Sporadically) spread throughout the US.
• Smatterings of it in South America (Brazil?)

I have no idea what other types/shapes of hydrants exist in other countries—but in the US, so far I've only seen pillars that look similar to the 2 under pillar:type in the OSM Wiki.

Perhaps the OSM forums can get more varied input from users around the world.

(I have yet to see a "wet barrel" type in multi-colors yet... but I haven't done much armchair mapping in the South/West United States yet.)

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• the colors should be tagged rather than the fire_hydrant:awwa_class because it is not (guaranteed) to be consistent

Correct.

• there are chiefly 4-5 different colors used on the caps / bonnet to signify different water flow, deviations exist

Yep, pretty much.

From what I have seen so far, there are:

• Those 7 colors I listed above that are in current use in OSM.

Just yesterday, I also stumbled across a city near me with yellow hydrants + orange caps. (Near an industrial / large commercial area. So probably needed the higher flow.)

• private hydrants have a red body, public hydrants have a yellow (or white/gray/... reflective body)

Some jurisdictions red = private hydrant.

But red might just mean "lowest flow":

• Okay to put out small car/house fires.

(For example, my town is all yellow hydrants... but the 3 towns next to me have all red hydrants. Very similar make-up in all 4 towns. Only thing I can think of is different counties or fire departments.)

I also did read the article you linked, but did not quite understand the meaning of the bonnet color. It seemed to only mention the cap color. Or is it usually the same?

From what I have seen so far, it's mostly:

Body	Bonnet/Top	Coupling/Caps
1 color	<-- Same	<-- Same
1 color	Different	<-- Same
1 color	Different	Same -->
1 color	<-- Same	Different

So these 4 cases might all be equivalent:

• 1st = Entire hydrant is green.

Or—for "easier visibility", "easier to see in the snow", etc.—all their hydrants might be painted a base yellow (or other bright/stand-out color), but:

• 2nd = bonnet+caps are green.
• 3rd = only bonnet is green.
• 4th = only caps are green.

Again, every jurisdiction is going to assign color to different things, but the colors would tell SOMETHING key to those firefighters who need to use it.

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Note on Caps/Coupling Colors: Let's say there are 3 couplings, they might not all be the same color/type. So:

• 2 on the sides might be colored one way.
• 1 down the middle might be colored another way.
  • Maybe a much bigger connector (or a slightly different type).

So, in those jurisdictions, they might do:

• Bonnet color = flow rate
• Caps color = coupling type

So support for 2 cap:colour colors might be needed, but not a high priority. (Especially if it confuses/clutters + messes up the UI/UX/data.)

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Side Note: Like @1ec5 said, there are also just purely cosmetic changes too. Like all a town's hydrants might be:

• red with white bonnets
• red with white bonnets + blue caps
• red with white caps + blue bonnets

just because they think it "looks pretty" or "patriotic" or "matches the town colors/aesthetic" or something.

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Quest Interface / UI / UX

As for the quest interface itself, I think it would be better to let the user have define the colors in one quest, because if there was first a quest about only the body color and only later the cap and bonnet color, many users will likely answer "uh..."

Hmmmmm...

So maybe a potential two-step process, where the "fast track" is the 100% same color.

Something like:

Fast Track UI / UX

• "What is the color of this hydrant?"
  • -> Yellow.

Then have a:

• "This hydrant is multiple colors" checkbox.

After you click on it, you get an expanded popup with...

Slow Track UI / UX

3 words + 3 colored squares right next to it:

• hydrant
• bonnet (/ top)
• caps (/ coupling / sides)
  • (or whatever "more friendly" naming we may want to use.)

You then:

• Choose the box you want to change.
• Choose the color.
• Return back to 3-word menu.

That gives you a chance to verify.

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So, the "fast track" would just tag:

• colour

and the "slow track" would tag:

• colour
• bonnet:colour
• cap:colour

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UI Thinking / Rough Mockup

UI could look like a outlined drawing of a hydrant, allowing the user to color each section by tapping on it.

Hmmmmmm... that sounds good.

Or maybe just simple pictures/icons?

• "fast track" just shows icons/photos of 100% same color hydrant.
• "slow track" shows photos of differently colored tops/sides.
  • Or, as you drill down into each, the icon/UI will show you which exact piece we're talking about.

Maybe something roughly like this:

And as a nice-to-have:

• Maybe the "highlighted color" on the little hydrant icons can change to match your selected color box.

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In terms of the “spamminess” question, I think there will be some degree of repetition that users in inner cities will feel more acutely than users in suburbs. Most municipalities have a uniform paint scheme citywide, or per neighborhood.

I agree. But if it remembers your previous color selections, then that could make it as easy as:

• "Fast Path"
  • Click yep.
• "Slow Path"
  • Click checkbox to expand.
  • Click yep.

In one walking trip, I doubt you'd be seeing more than 1 or 2 differently colored hydrants per session. So once you set it for the day, it'll probably just be a quick:

• "Same as last time"
• "Yep" + "Yep" + "Yep"

Side Note: I am also reminded of EveryDoor's recent 5.1 release where he added a little row that looks at / remembers previous selections:

I use Every Door to quickly survey hundreds of amenities, and this one thing has been bugging me: for every new building I had to enter both addr:floor and level tags, remembering how floors are numbered in the country. Now Every Door looks around and suggests values, so you can mark the shop’s floor with a single tap.

For repetitive tasks like this, I think remembering last value as a "fast track" would be a huge positive. :)

[westnordost]

Please be brief and succinct. The more text we have here that isn't to the point, the less likely it is that someone will pick this up to implement it, especially given that the UI is not trivial.

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Again, the useful purpose does only exist for countries which follow AWWA / NFPA. It is irrelevant whether some hydrants have a colour attribute in Europe.

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If single-color hydrants are (by far) most common, the UI would look like this:

1. first, as "fast-track": a simple image-select (e.g. like for surfaces) but with colors for the whole hydrant

2. There is an item in "Uh..." named "It has several colors..." to switch to the detailed UI, which shows a hydrant that looks like something from a children's coloring book. On tapping the areas (bonnet / cap / body), a dialog with an image-select (but for colors) pops up with which one can select the color. It must be clear to the user that the different areas of the illustration are tappable. (At least show a "tappable" hint animation, like for the street side select). The OK button only appears after all three areas have been colored.
   
   (example picture, doesn't need to be outlined, could be filled areas, too)

3. Consistent to other quests, e.g. the building levels form, at least in the detailed UI, there can be one "last answer"-button on the top left which allows you to apply the same colors as last time to the current hydrant.

It remains to be determined whether a fast-track UI makes sense or not.

[westnordost]

One issue came up in the chat. How to tag hydrants that are painted more creatively?

I expect that this is not a common situation, but still there must be some way that they can be tagged so that the quest is not asked again. See quest guidelines:

🤔 No unanswerable quests: All generated quests need to be actually answerable (no false-positives). This means that any answer given by the user must result in something being tagged. For example, a quest that asks for the website of a place must be able to tag the element somehow if the user answers that the place has no website - otherwise, the next user will be asked the same question. Sometimes, due to the nature of how things are tagged in OSM (such as the one given in the example) it is unfortunately simply not possible to fulfill this.

[matkoniecz]

colour=many? artwork_type=graffiti?

[goldfndr]

Graffiti? Some are specifically approved.

[matkoniecz]

AFAIK grafitti can be legal or outright paid for. See https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Tag%3Aartwork_type%3Dgraffiti

[1ec5]

I think even the local firefighters would take offense at OSM calling these designs “graffiti”. The more elaborate designs could be characterized as artwork, so StreetComplete could dual-tag tourism=artwork and ignore that tag in future passes. But I’m not sure about more basic patterns like tricolors and American flags. As with flag:colour, you might need to account for a semicolon-delimited list of colors.

[mnalis]

colour=many?

That one doesn't seem to be used; but there are few dozen uses of colour=multi

artwork_type=graffiti?

I usually mark such as artwork_type=streetart, specifically because neither more specific graffiti / mural seem appropriate.

[Tex2002ans]

Note 1: Today, I stumbled across these 2 "non-standard" tags in taginfo:

• colour:cap
  • ~7.8k uses.
• colour:bonnet
  • ~7.6k uses.

They aren't in the Wiki. And looks like the majority of these were added back in 2013, with a slight bump in 2022.

Just like bonnet:colour + cap:colour, they seem to mostly be relegated to the handful of "popular" colors too.

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Note 2: Another thing I recently came across:

• hydrants that were almost fully "rusted" with paint completely chipped off.

I was fixing Notes in New York / Kansas City, and some of these rundown areas had hydrants that looked real "abandoned".