If history has shown us anything, it’s that if there exists a unique and incredibly niche skill, you can bet that there is a competitive sport made out of it eventually.

And although you’ve likely never heard of this wacky event that is put on each year by the New England Water Works Association (regionally), and the American Water Works Association (nationally), you should know that your local Bristol County Water Authority (BCWA) team is wicked good at it.

For the past six years, BCWA has bested all other competition in New England at the Hydrant Hysteria — where a two-person team of water engineers must work to fully assemble a fire hydrant while being timed.

And while that might not seem like the most exciting thing, consider that if it takes your team more than a minute and a half, you might as well pack it up and go home.

“It’s a lot of practice and repetition. You want to be fast and smooth,” said David DaSilva, operations superintendent for BCWA who had participated in five of these events. “The hydrants don’t need to be hooked up to water to win, it just has to be together.”

Putting it together includes assembling somewhere around 20 different pieces, all of which have to be carefully slotted and tightened in precise order, while each team member works harmoniously in concert with the other one without missing a step or making a mistake. It’s a delicate dance that requires great focus and coolness under pressure.

“Every millisecond counts,” DaSilva said. “It’s a lot of muscle memory, and eventually you get to be on cruise control. You develop a plan and stick with it.”

This year, after earning the New England title for the sixth straight year, the BCWA team (consisting of Nick Deveau and Trevor Sousa) took on the national heat in Toronto. And they did better than they ever had before, finishing in second place with a time of 1:15.98.

The only team to beat them? The Los Angeles Water Department, which has a talent pool of over 11,000 employees — Bristol County Water has 34.

“Our team is super competitive. It’s kind of a camaraderie, too. You root for the other teams to do well,” DaSilva said. “It was really great this year. We pride ourselves on being a small water department, and we like to think we’re one of the good ones, too.”

And don’t worry ratepayers, the team’s annual travels throughout the country on these exciting expeditions is paid for by the New England Water Works Association, not proceeds from your water bills.