The Durango Police Department surprised a Bayfield plumbing company truck driver whom it accused of swiping water in Santa Rita Park early Friday, city utilities director Steve Salka said.
Stealing water has become a bit of a trend around town. The plumbing driver was using a hose for RVs, but Salka said fire hydrants also are frequent sites of water thefts.
“We’ve caught three people stealing from hydrants this year,” Salka said.
The plumbing company driver was filling a 150-gallon tank on the rear of a truck belonging to C&M Plumbing and Drain Cleaning with a hose at the station for RVs shortly after 7 a.m., Salka said.
“RV owners can dump the contents of their sewer tanks and rinse the tank with the hose,” Salka said. “The hose is dirty, so you wouldn’t want to use the water for anything but construction.”
The C&M driver was cited for theft, Salka said. He’ll have to appear before a judge to explain what he was doing.
As far as the fire hydrants, about 20 large construction companies are authorized to tap them, Salka said. Drivers have to be trained because improper opening or closing of a hydrant can cause damage.
“Opening or closing a hydrant too quickly causes a ‘hammer’ that can pull pipes or the hydrant out of the ground,” Salka said.
The city has monitors on some hydrants that detect a sudden surge or drop in water pressure that alerts authorities, Salka said. The monitors are moved among hydrants.
daler@durangoherald.com
