Interesting article - thanks for passing it along!

I wouldn't bother with buying the 3" to 2 1/2" adapter (reducer) because:

a) Nearby mutual-aid fire departments already have them.
b) The city has a supply at their own fire stations to hand out.
c) The State OES region has some, too.
d) Most hydrants are going to have a "pumper" or "steamer" (the 4") outlet in addition to the smaller-diameter 3" hydrant outlets.
e) If a huge disaster leveled most water mains, there are the individual water cisterns to pump water from.

All that being said, it sure would make good operating sense for them to just standardize with the rest of the state and be done with it. But fiscally...

8,000 hydrants x $10,000 cost = $80,000,000 to replace just the 3" hydrants.

San Francisco, like many cities, is having budget woes. Coughing up the extra $80 million would probably cause the voters to drive a lot of the local politicians out of office. <img src="/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />