SUNLAND PARK, N. M. (KFOX14/CBS4) — The Sunland Park Fire Department and the troubled local water utility said they are working to upgrade hydrant systems after a house fire proved that the current system lacks water pressure and flow.
KFOX14/CBS4 sat down with SPFD Fire Chief Daniel Medrano to address concerns about water supply issues during a house fire on the 200 block of Calle Diaz Street, near McNutt Road, where SPFD fire crews had to call Dona Ana Fire Rescue and El Paso fire crews for help to extinguish it.
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"It's been misreported that the fire hydrants were not working," Medrano said. "In fact, all the hydrants in that neighborhood are brand new. They're about 12 to 18 months old."
Medrano explained that the hydrants in the area, including those on Calle Diaz, do not produce enough water flow to effectively combat large fires.
"Our last test in that neighborhood, we were getting about 450, maybe 600 gallons per minute coming out of a hydrant," Medrano said. "But when you try to operate a fire truck with a fire hose on a burning building, it becomes very little, very quickly."
Additionally, Medrano explained that the hydrants don't offer enough water pressure, adding, "We end up trying to pull too much out of a source that can't provide," Medrano said.
According to Medrano, this is why SPFD asked El Paso and Dona Ana County for help as crews on the scene were afraid that the fire could grow following first extinguishing maneuvers.
So, why the low water flow and pressure?
Medrano noted that the water system in the area is outdated and in need of an upgrade, something that he believes will cost a lot of money.
"It's a very old neighborhood and the water utility, and not to their fault, but they haven't upgraded that area of town," Medrano said. "One of our big hurdles we have to overcome is funding... It is millions and millions and millions of dollars."
Nonetheless, Medrano wants to assure the people of Sunland Park that SPFD is aware of the water system issues and has adjusted its fire suppression procedures.
"We've augmented our policies so that when we go into that particular neighborhood, it's all hands on deck," Medrano said. "It takes a lot of training and they did a great job in extinguishing [Thursday's] fire."
In the end, Medrano said efforts to upgrade the water system are ongoing, with regular communication between the fire department, the city, and the Camino Real Regional Utility Authority (CRRUA).
"We're confident that they're gonna solve these issues in the future," Medrano said.
Following the fire, CRRUA released a statement looking to reassure the people of Sunland Park that they are taking steps to remedy this situation.
"As part of a regional improvement initiative under the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program, CRRUA contributed $345,000 in match funding to install new fire hydrants, water lines, and water meters throughout the Anapra subdivision; an area that previously lacked this essential infrastructure," said CRRUA Executive Director Juan Crosby.
CRRUA added that while they are aware of the low water pressure, he said that at least thanks to recent improvements, fire crews at least had access to nearby hydrants.
"Without these upgrades, the nearest hydrant would have been on McNutt Road, potentially delaying response efforts and increasing fire damage," Crosby said.
Nevertheless, CRRUA admits that work needs to be done to improve the infrastructure, and to address Medrano's concerns, they said that they are committed to finding funding for these much-needed upgrades.
"CRRUA remains fully committed to securing funds and making the long-term investments needed to strengthen the entire utility system," Crosby said.