Fire hydrants in the UK often do not provide enough water flow for firefighting, fire chiefs have warned.

A report published by the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) claims that inadequate water supplies across the UK are impacting fire crews’ “ability to respond effectively” and putting the public at risk.

It carried out a survey of UK fire services which suggested that 81% have had to change their emergency response plans due to concerns over adequate water supplies.

“The very least firefighters should be able to rely on is access to the water they need to protect people,” said NFCC chairman Phil Garrigan.

The report calls for firefighting water supplies to be recognised as a critical public safety requirement, for “greater accountability” for the water sector and for increased hydrant maintenance.

Fire hydrants in the UK are access points that allow crews to access mains water when they arrive at the scene of a blaze. They are often marked by a yellow sign showing a capital “H” – there are hundreds of thousands across the UK.

The NFCC warned that climate change, droughts and population growth are “increasing demand on an already stretched water network”.

It provided the example of West Midlands Fire Service, which experienced water pressure issues over several days during the major wildfire in Stourbridge last month.

During the height of the blaze, it took 40 minutes to refill its water carrier due to reduced pressure – and crews had to rely on an additional high-volume pump for water supply.

“Firefighters cannot fight fires without water,” said Mr Garrigan.

“That sounds obvious, yet our evidence shows four in five fire and rescue services have had to change response plans because of concerns about firefighting water supplies,” he said.

“The demands on fire and rescue services are growing, with larger wildfires, extreme weather and increasingly complex risks.”

“As the task becomes more challenging, the very least firefighters should be able to rely on is access to the water they need to protect people and property.”

The NFCC’s survey, conducted over summer and which received responses from 50% of UK fire services, found that half of fire services it heard from “frequently encounter insufficient flow”.

It also suggested that a third of water companies cannot increase water flow when needed.

The NFCC said these factors have led to “workarounds”, increased demand on resources and “reduced resilience” when responding to incidents.

The organisation has called on water regulators to enforce measures on water providers regarding the provision of water for firefighting, and to implement “clear national standards” on fire hydrant repair and maintenance.

It also urged the UK government to ensure that fire and rescue services are recognised as “key stakeholders” within the water sector.

In response, Ofwat said it would consider the points raised in the NFCC’s report and added that water companies do “have a duty to supply fire and rescue services to support firefighting”.

“We would expect water companies and fire services to work together to ensure this is the case,” a spokesperson said.