Fire Department Unveils Water-Saving Pump Pod for Training Exercises

The Riverside Fire Department has become the first city in California to receive a pump pod through a state grant-funded program, officials announced Tuesday at a demonstration at the city's Emergency Operations Center.

The pump pod is a closed system that recaptures and recirculates water used during firefighter training, saving an estimated 3.5 to 4.5 million gallons of water per year. The device contains approximately 2,000 gallons of water that cycles continuously during training exercises.

"We're improving our water efficiency today in a way that doesn't readily spring to mind, like with a low flow toilet or a drip irrigation system for your landscaping, yet millions of gallons of water will be saved," Mayor Patricia Lock Dawson said at the Feb. 4 event.

The project represents a two-and-a-half-year collaboration between Riverside Fire Department, Riverside Public Utilities, Western Municipal Water District, and Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. Funding came through a state Department of Water Resources grant to MWD, with additional contributions from RFD, RPU, and Western Water.

Fire Chief Steve McKinster said the pump pod allows crews to train under high-stress, real-world conditions while conserving water resources. "The City of Riverside is honored to be the first city to receive a pump pod through this specific state grant funded program," he said. "It gives our crews ability to train exactly how they would during real world emergencies, while saving thousands of gallons of water every single training evolution."

Robin Glenney, Riverside Public Utilities assistant general manager of water, said the savings from the pump pod are equivalent to seven Olympic-size swimming pools annually. As the first Inland Empire utility to introduce a pump pod, RPU has created a roadmap other agencies can follow.

"This project, combined with a suite of other outdoor and indoor water conservation measures that Riverside Public Utilities offers and provides to our customers, will help us save over 9 million gallons of water each year while improving how Riverside Fire Department conducts their training operations," Glenney said.

Laura Roughton, board president at Western Municipal Water District, noted the importance of the collaboration amid increasing environmental challenges. "As our region faces hotter summers, longer wildfire seasons and continued pressure on water supplies, aligning public safety and water reliability is increasingly important," she said.

Following remarks from officials, the group participated in a ribbon-cutting ceremony and demonstration of the equipment at the Emergency Operations Center, located at 3085 St. Lawrence St.