By Roman Gokhman
The Contra Costa Times
BETHEL ISLAND, Calif. — Hoping to prevent another fire from destroying homes, groups of property owners here have decided to install custom water hydrants around the island’s perimeter.
Each “dry hydrant” — so named because they are not charged with water until firefighters hook up a pump and draw the water out — will be connected to a pipe that leads to the San Joaquin River. When East Contra Costa Fire District firefighters respond to a blaze on the island, they will be able to hook up a pump truck to a hydrant and pump water more efficiently than before, fire Chief Hugh Henderson said.
“It should allow us to get on scene and get water from the Delta quicker,” he said. “It saves us time.”
The push for dry hydrants began after a three-alarm blaze on Taylor Road destroyed two homes and damaged a third in September 2008, said Mark Whitlock, president of the community’s chamber of commerce.
During that blaze, firefighters quickly ran out of water in their tanker trucks and tried several times before they were able to suction — or “draft” — water from nearby Taylor Slough. Mud and other debris clogged hoses that they dropped at the edge of the water.
Residents, including Whitlock, helped firefighters battle the flames; the fire caused $1.5 million in damage.
With access to a dry hydrant, crews would have been able to tap into an extensive supply of water suctioned from an area free of debris that can clog hoses, residents said.
The dry hydrants cost from $1,500 to $3,000, depending on how far into the water they extend. The cost of installing them will be picked up by the island’s 29 water companies.
Each company is owned by groups of property owners who pay dues for service. Some of the water companies have as few as a dozen residents, while the largest ones have upward of 200.
All of the water companies have shown interest in the project, but because each is installing its own hydrants, some have made more progress than others, said Belinda Bittner of the Bethel Island Municipal Advisory Council.
“Everybody realizes the risk on this island,” said Bob Cameron, who serves on both the advisory council and the board for Sandmound Mutual Water Company. “We’ve had a series of fires and have not been very successful beating them back. If there’s a fire, there’s a good chance a home will be destroyed.”
Sandmound has taken the lead by installing five dry hydrants in the past two weeks. Another three will be installed in coming weeks, he said.
The hydrants will be installed about 750 feet apart in permanent drafting locations on top of the levee, Henderson said. Pipes will lead from the hydrants to the water.
“These are set up in locations where there is good water access both in high tide and low tide,” he said. “Instead of us having to connect several sections of hose and put it in the water, we’re able to just take one section and hook it from the hydrant to the engine.”
Not all residents have wanted to wait for the water companies to install dry hydrants in their neighborhood.
Bill Gearhart and two neighbors decided to pay to have one installed recently.
“Houses catch on fire here, and they burn to the ground,” Gearhart said. “When the firefighters’ tankers emptied out, that was it. We wanted to have an ace in the hole by having our own. This is an unlimited supply of water.”
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