California Water Service Partners With Los Angeles County Fire and Visalia Fire to Save Water While Training to Save Lives and Property

SAN JOSE, Calif., Dec. 30, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- As part of its commitment to both supporting firefighters and conserving water, California Water Service (Cal Water) is presenting “pump pods” to the Los Angeles County Fire Department and Visalia Fire Department through its customized conservation incentive and rebate program. Formally called a Pump-Pod Direct Recirculating Apparatus Firefighting Training & Sustainability (DRAFTS) Unit, the two pump pods – one for each fire department – are expected to save about 8.5 million gallons of water combined per year.

The pump pods are self-contained units that recirculate water used during firefighter training and pump testing. They enable fire departments to train with full-flow water, prevent engine companies from having to call “out of service” when training, and meet National Fire Protection Association testing requirements. Each unit allows 1,850 gallons of water to be pumped continually.

“We are pleased to present these DRAFTS training units to L.A. County Fire and Visalia Fire, first responders who protect our East Los Angeles and Visalia District communities, and partner with them to save water as they work to save lives and properties,” said Martin A. Kropelnicki, President and CEO. “These important partnerships help fulfill our commitment to be a responsible environmental steward and ensure long-term water supply reliability, as we support the communities we serve.”

Cal Water will host a local media event with each fire department to demonstrate the pump pod in action after the unit has been integrated into department operations.

California Water Service serves about 2 million people through 486,900 service connections in California. The utility has provided water service in the state since 1926. Additional information may be obtained online at www.calwater.com.

Released December 30, 2019