Which type of fire hydrant receives water from only one direction?

• A. One-way
• B. Steamer
• C. Circulating-feed
• D. Dead-end

Answer: (D)

The main idea here is how a water supply network feeds hydrants. A dead-end main ends at the hydrant line, so water can only flow toward the end from a single direction. That means any hydrant at that end is fed from one side only—there’s no alternate path in from the opposite direction because the line doesn’t loop back.

In contrast, a circulating-feed (looped) system carries water around a loop, allowing hydrants to be supplied from either direction depending on where the flow is coming from, which helps maintain pressure and supply reliability. A steamer hydrant is simply a large hydrant used for pumping water to steam-powered apparatus, not defined by directional supply. A one-way term isn’t a standard way to describe hydrant feeding in most systems, so the end-of-line, single-direction supply concept best fits the question.