BEDFORD, Va. – An underground water tank for firefighters is the first of its kind in Bedford, according to a local group.
Members of the Peaks of Otter Soil and Water Conservation District have installed the 1,500- gallon tank for Bedford’s firefighters at their training center.
The group attached a spout to the building to capture rainwater that will eventually fill the tank below.
The district says the underground tank, which is actually a modified septic tank, will be used specifically for training. Otherwise fire fighters would have to find water from a hydrant.
“With the captured rainwater, we’re saving taxpayers money. The water that runs into the tank will otherwise be runoff. So our creeks would have to deal with it and would cause more of an erosion problem,” said Todd Kready, district director.
The district paid $2,500 for the materials and the county matched it by installing it.