Discovery of device on hydrant raises water corporation concerns

A South 43 Water Corporation hydrant at Oak Ridge Estates shows an illegal connection. The hydrant cap has been removed and a device attached that allowed thieves to pump water into a tank or tanker of some kind.

Ongoing drought conditions in Putnam County and most of Indiana have now apparently spawned new criminal activity to worry about -- water theft.

On Monday, a South 43 Water Corporation customer in Oak Ridge Estates northwest of Greencastle contacted Water Superintendent Jeff O'Neal about a device he discovered being placed on a flush hydrant near his home.

The customer, thinking South 43 officials had attached the device to the flush hydrant for some reason, was concerned about the amount of leaking water present.

However, the device had been put there by someone stealing water, South 43 officials told the Banner Graphic.

In the process of that water theft, the hydrant has been damaged and will need to be replaced, officials said. The hydrant cap was forcibly removed in the incident in order to attach the device.

"In order to effectively protect our water supply," South 43 Water Superintendent O'Neal said, "we need local members of the community to be vigilant in observing activity around the hydrants, pump station and water meters."

The Putnam County Sheriff's Department is looking into the recent incident, O'Neal said.

Meanwhile, the Alliance of Indiana Rural Water has confirmed that tampering with a public water supply is a federal offense.

Currently, South 43 Water serves 103 customers on its water line north of Greencastle and 431 customers on the water line south of Greencastle. South 43 purchases all of its water supply from Greencastle Municipal Utilities.

Jeff O'Neal

The photo included with this article, O'Neal noted, shows an illegal connection to a hydrant. People who are connected illegally at the hydrant are either poaching water (stealing) or attempting to bypass the valve and inject something into the water system, he stressed.

Anyone who finds an illegal water connection at a hydrant or sees a suspicious person loitering near a hydrant, pump station or water meter is asked to call South 43 Water Association at 657-5000 or Water Superintendent O'Neal at 720-9468.