Wildfire Training Exercise in Dublin Fights Drought by Using Recycled Water

Firefighters learning to fight wildfires this week at Camp Parks were also battling the drought—by using recycled water, rather than scarce drinking water, to extinguish the flames. In training burns Monday and Tuesday, firefighters used over 14,000 gallons of recycled water to douse small, controlled fires.

Firefighters do not routinely use recycled water to fight fires because purple hydrants are rare, even in the Bay Area. Instead firefighters rely on common fire hydrants connected to the potable water supply, which are usually painted yellow, white, or sometimes silver. But last spring, after meeting with water supplier Dublin San Ramon Services District (DSRSD), Alameda County Fire Department agreed to use recycled water for training while the Tri-Valley’s potable water supply is constrained.

“We appreciate their willingness to substitute recycled water for training,” says DSRSD Operations Manager Dan Gallagher. “The 14,000 gallons of drinking water they saved this week is enough to supply at least three families for the week. In a drought, every drop counts.”

For the exercise, Alameda County Fire Department personnel filled a 2500-gallon water truck at a purple recycled water hydrant on Dougherty Road and drove it out to the training area.

DSRSD has 10 recycled water hydrants located throughout its service area. The purple hydrants are used by construction contractors and other businesses that have permits to use recycled water. Since mid-February, DSRSD has required the use of recycled water for dust control and soil compaction. Due to the drought, contractors had to turn in the yellow hydrant meters they previously used to legally withdraw water from DSRSD’s yellow potable hydrants, exchanging them for purple meters that only work on purple recycled water hydrants.

Commercial tanker trucks and residential customers can also obtain a permit to fill up with recycled water at the treatment facility DSRSD operates in Pleasanton. So far this year commercial haulers have used over 9.5 million gallons of recycled water for construction, dust control and irrigation. Residents can sign up for a free program and take home up to 300 gallons of recycled water per visit to water their trees, lawns, and gardens. Since mid-June, 440 registered residential users have taken home more than 1.5 million gallons of recycled water.

DSRSD partners with East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD) and the City of Pleasanton in producing recycled water from wastewater, primarily for irrigation. More than 839 million gallons of recycled water has been produced so far this year, saving an equal amount of potable water.

—Information, photo submitted by Dublin San Ramon Services District