Is it possible to use the roadside fire hydrants??

That is irrelevant. It is their water by the time it gets to a hydrant and taking it without their permission is theft.

...

It is a metered supply, purchased from a water supply company. The company that was filling its gully washers was stealing from the estate management company, which had to pay for the water used.

Colin Bignell

Unless there have been some changes (reduction) in the local abstraction or new building nearby (within about 1/2 mile) I would doubt it is a new spring. This leaves a leak and being on clay it could be a considerable distance from where it is appearing.

I'd be tempted to dig down and follow where it is coming from.

Those who watched Fred Dibnah's early TV progs about him 'burning' chimneys down, i.e. without explosives, may remember him filling the water tank of his traction engine, sorry road roller, from fire hydrants. IIRC he said that the Bolton(?) fire brigade were quite happy for him to do this because he told them when he found one not working.

Thar knows this was a few years back, me lad.

Richard

PS I think the vehicle was called Alison - after his wife. I'm not sure that had anything to do with their eventual divorce.