EL PASO, Texas – (KFOX14/CBS4) — El Paso County Commissioner Sergio Coronado has raised concerns about non-functional fire hydrants in outlying areas of the county, including Canutillo, the Lower Valley, and Anthony.
Coronado highlighted a recent incident at the Flying J fire in Anthony, where a hydrant failed to provide pressure.
“We are looking into this issue because in some of those outlying areas of the counties, we’ve experienced some issues,” Coronado said.
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Emergency Services Districts are not responsible for hydrant maintenance, but insurance companies hold them accountable, impacting rates for both the department and residents.
Coronado, alongside County Judge Ricardo Samaniego, are working on a report to identify problematic hydrants and clarify maintenance responsibilities.
Chief Roger Esparza of Emergency Services District 2 explained that various water utilities are responsible for hydrant upkeep.
“We don’t test our hydrants. We don’t look at the hydrants, we don’t repair the hydrants,” Esparza said.
“So if a fire hydrant goes out, it’s up to the individual MUD’s or water districts to fix them.”
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Efforts are underway to address these issues, and updates will be provided as more information becomes available.
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