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Burton wants to know where its water is going
(by Joseph Koziol Jr. - May 06, 2009)
Burton wants to know where its water is going
By JOSEPH KOZIOL JR.
Burton Village may begin keeping track of water use throughout the community.
Last week, Councilman Gerald Rouge said the village should investigate whether it is feasible to meter all of its waterlines to keep better track of where the water is going. "If we can meter, let's do it, if it's not a tremendous expense," he said.
If it's cost-effective, it makes sense, because the village is essentially in the business of selling water, Mr. Rouge said. "We run a business, and we sell water, and we should know where it's going."
George "Chip" Hess said members of the village's board of public affairs recently discussed how the Burton Fire Department had allowed fire departments from outside the village to "top off" their tankers before leaving the village.
Mr. Rouge said it was not an attempt to pick on the fire department but to get a handle on all water use in the village.
Burton Fire Chief Michael Sestak said the incident cited by Mr. Hess was an aberration, not the norm. "It's happened once in the last two years," he said.
One department that assisted in a fire in the Burton area was permitted to fill its truck afterward. He said it was the same department which loaned Burton an ambulance when one of its ambulances was in for repairs. "We're not going to deny someone who helped us," he said.
Using pond water to fill the trucks is only a temporary measure, at best, Mr. Sestak said. Pond water has living organisms in it which begin to smell quickly, he said.
Mr. Sestak said the department uses an unmetered water hydrant located within the fire station to refill trucks. He said using the smaller lines would not be practical.
The water is provided at no cost to the department, a policy like that employed by Chardon Fire Department, which fills its trucks using city water.
Mr. Sestak said the department relocated the hydrant into the building at its expense. He said the hydrant used to be located outside, in front of the station, but it leaked. He said the hydrant leaked so bad that the water forced up the concrete slabs in front of the station doors.
Using village water allows the department to control its costs, which, in turn, allows the department to keep taxes lower for residents served.
And, he said, the use of water to fill trucks is relatively low because fires are not a regular occurrence in the area. "It's not that we have that many fires that we need to fill them constantly," he said.
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