Without a water tanker full of water, a rural fire service is in deep trouble! A new dry hydrant in South Mountain will ensure a reliable water source for fighting fires. The new dry hydrant was inaugurated on December 12, 2020.
For the last few years, the Mountain Fire Station has struggled to get enough water to fill its tanker truck. With no hydrants in rural areas, the tanker truck is essential. The Fire Service needs to have a reliable water supply.
Previously, the Fire Department has drawn water from the dry hydrant in town, at the South Nation River that runs through South Mountain. The river has changed greatly over the last few years. Changes in usage, as well as climate change, have meant that there have been summers that the river runs almost dry. When there was enough water, the amount of sludge made using the water almost impossible. The Fire Department has been looking for a new, reliable water source for the last ten years. There is no cost-effective way to drill a well in the area to get water for fire fighting. Without a reliable water supply, property and lives are in danger, and homeowner insurance rates are higher.
The new dry hydrant is on the site of an old quarry. In the last ten years, the quarry has never run dry. There will always be enough water. Both Mountain Fire Department and the nearby South Dundas Fire department will have access to the new dry hydrant. The $11,000 cost was shared by North Dundas and South Dundas. The owner of the land where the old quarry was is happy to offer the use of the quarry for the fire services. He was impressed by the work done by Havekes Land Improvement that installed the culverts, piping, and the turn-around. The dry hydrant consists of a 5 inch pipe, 12 feet down, and 15 feet back. The pipe doesn’t look like much in the photo, but it represents a huge improvement for the Fire Service, and their access to a reliable water supply. Our volunteer fire fighters put their lives on the line for the residents of North Dundas. It’s good to know that they have a reliable source of water!
In the picture, you can see, the pipe beside the Mountain Fire Chief, Ray Sherrer.