Water tower levels critical: Fire crews facing serious short supply
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This Bargersville Utilities water tower near the intersection of Stones Crossing and SR 135 is nearly empty due to the shortage of rain. STAFF PHOTO BY SCOTT ROBERSON/sroberson@dailyjournal.net
If a fire breaks out near State Road 135 and Stones Crossing Road, the White River Township Fire Department would have just minutes’ worth of water to battle the blaze.
That’s because the water tower in the area is only 13 percent as full as it should be. When the tower is empty, firefighters need to find water elsewhere.
That’s a big problem for an area where fire could spread easily because of dry conditions, including weeks without rain, Fire Chief Jeremy Pell said.
“It’s extremely concerning for us as a fire department,” he said.
The dry weather and water shortage mean the fire department will now request tankers from surrounding departments as soon as a fire is reported. The department recently sold its tanker, which was used to fight fires in rural areas where hydrants aren’t accessible, because the number of neighborhoods in Center Grove was rising and the number of farms was falling.
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