Water Theft is a growing Crime

150 million gallons of water were stolen  last year in Washington

The Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission estimates the stolen water costs between $500,000 and $1 million per year. Also, people who tamper with hydrants can damage them as well as nearby water mains.

“They’re putting lives at risk, firefighters’ as well as citizens,'” said James McClelland, deputy fire chief for Prince George’s County Fire and EMS.

Fire crews, which typically carry a few minutes of water on a truck to allow fire suppression while hooking up to a hydrant, have to move if they encounter a damaged hydrant. “If we have to go another 800 feet, we may run out of water, prior to establishing a constant water supply,” said Chief Scott Goldstein of Montgomery County Fire and Rescue.

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Taxonomy

• Hydrants
• Water Supply
• Fire Safety