The dispute between the D.C. Water and Sewer Authority and the D.C. Fire Department over which agency would inspect the District’s aging fire hydrants remained unresolved this week as the two sides couldn’t agree on who would pay for the project.

In the hour-long, closed-door meeting, D.C. Water and Sewer Authority officials rejected the fire department proposal to have the firefighters inspect the District’s more than 9,000 hydrants twice a year to prevent response delays that could have catastrophic consequences, especially in the event of a terrorist attack. But the department wants WASA to pay for the equipment and manpower.