DHS fire hydrant theft may be part of larger problem
Thieves in Desert Hot Springs have stolen a fire hydrant and other water equipment from Two Bunch Palms Elementary School, and Mission Springs Water District believes it could be part of a bigger issue.
Conservation and Public Affairs Officer, John Soulliere says they believe the culprits may have some sort of professional knowledge of the water industry.
“A lot of the time they’re turning them off with the valve in the street before they take the meter, so of course it doesn’t create a geyser,” says Soulliere, “To do that…you have to know there is a valve in the street and…you have to have the right tool to turn it off.”
Soulliere says repair costs will likely be between $7,500 and $10,000; money that comes out of rate payer’s pockets.
He says the real draw of stealing something like a fire hydrant is in the brass that it’s made of.
“Brass right now sells for anywhere from $0.85 to $1.15 a pound,” says Soulliere.
Soulliere notes MSWD has experienced around a dozen thefts each year over the past five years, and says this year’s numbers may even be higher.
“California law prohibits people from taking a whole hydrant, so they’ve gotten smart and they don’t take the whole hydrant,” says Soulliere, “They cut it up into pieces and take chunks of brass.”
To prevent theft, Soulliere says the water district has taken new security measures. Some hydrants now have GPS locators installed to track them down. They also now use a different metal.
“Ductile iron is obviously a metal that is cheaper,” says Soulliere, “They wouldn’t get the money for it in a scrap yard.”
Soulliere says repairs should be done quickly given the hydrant’s proximity to school grounds and fire risks.
Commander Jim Henson of Desert Hot Springs Police Department says if you see someone near a fire hydrant or by a backflow device, you should call the police immediately.
