The Springfield Township Fire Department is having difficulty locating dry hydrant water sources.
In the past there was much more waterfront footage available for the department to use, Fire Chief Oaks said, but development over the last few decades has filled previously used spots where trucks would pull up to pump water.
‘People do not want you digging a ditch through their yard, and you have to check it once in awhile. Most people don’t want that. I can’t blame them,? commented Oaks.
This creates a problem because most of the hydrants are private systems. Springfield Township lacks a public water system.
Many recent searches for dry hydrant locations have run into problems in the remaining accessible areas.
‘It’s hard to put a dry hydrant every five miles, first you have to have the water to put it in;? Oaks acknowledged.
A dry hydrant needs water at least five feet deep in order to avoid the muck near the bottom. The depth level is also extremely important in winter, a time when the largest amount of major house fires occur. The fire department must be able to dig past the freeze line, which if conditions are difficult, can cost valuable time in setting up the dry hydrant source.
A dry hydrant system consists of an eight inch pipe that comes from a lake, pond or tank from which a pump truck can pull water out. The pipe remains empty until the truck arrives to pump the water.
Currently, if water is needed in an area that lacks the proper dry hydrant, a call is placed to a mutual aid tanker from a neighboring department who provides the necessary water.
Other potential sources are created when development comes and a particular business has its own private source. These sources can often be used for public use. Newly constructed neighborhoods also sometimes put in a retention creek which can be used as a dry hydrant.
The search will continue as the department looks to improve the situation while working with the Springfield Township Board.