WASHINGTON, DC (WUSA) -- District of Columbia Fire and EMS Chief Dennis Rubin and DC Water and Sewer Authority General Manager Jerry Johnson met Thursday afternoon to try and iron out a long term agreement on hydrant inspections.
Both sides indicated after the meeting that no memorandum of understanding has been signed and that negotiations will continue. Sources familiar with the meeting say the biggest sticking point is money. Chief Dennis Rubin has said he needs funding and equipment from WASA to continue twice-yearly inspections of the city's 10,000 fire hydrants. So far, according to the sources, there is no indication WASA is ready to provide the money.
As 9NEWS NOW first reported this week, the pilot 4-month long inspection program by DC firefighters found problems with between 5 and 10%of the hydrants, but there were higher failure rates at some key locations. Among them, the 3rd Street Tunnel under the Mall, where more than three-quarters of the hydrants aren't working. The inspections also found 29% of the hydrants dead at WASA's own Blue Plains Sewage Treatment Plant, the city's largest industrial complex.
Charles Kiely, a WASA assistant general manager, said that the tunnel hydrants are the responsibility of DC's Department of Transportation (DDOT). A DDOT spokesman said again Thursday that they believe the 3rd Street Tunnel hydrants are a joint responsibility with WASA.
Kiely believes that the hydrant situation at Blue Plains would not be a problem in the event of a fire.
Kiely also said he is looking into why a hydrant near a fire early this morning at 20th and P Streets, Northwest, is still not fixed, 17 days after it was reported broken. WASA's goal is to have all hydrants repaired within 10 business days.
Charles Kiely thought a WASA crew should have made a different decision when it didn't replace a hydrant at 50 Nicholson Street, Northwest. While water still flowed through the hydrant, the inspection by DC fire crews found that the base of a tree swallowed up the hydrant in such a way that prevented hoses from being connected to the fire plug. Kiely says that hydrant will now be replaced.
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Republished with permission from WUSA9.com
