Hauling Water - Rensselaer County, New York Style!

 
By Alan Butsch, Senior Associate
April 23, 2026
 

Over the weekend of April 18th and 19th, ten fire departments from Pittstown, Johnsonville, Rensselaer County, and the surrounding areas—including southern Vermont—gathered for a 16-hour Rural Water Supply Seminar. During the event, participants focused on best practices for using mobile water supply operations in rural settings.

Most hands-on training occurred on Saturday, as cold and wet weather was expected on Sunday. Despite the forecast, attendees were able to complete a two-hour water hauling drill on Sunday afternoon. Using eight tanker trucks, participants achieved an average water flow of 631 gallons per minute throughout the two-hour exercise, and successfully maintained flows between 800 to 1,000 gallons per minute during the final 40 minutes.

Agencies represented included Eagle Mills, Hoosick, Hoosic Valley, Johnsonville, Melrose, Mountain View, Petersburgh, Pittstown, Raymertown, and Rowe. The Pittstown Volunteer Fire Department hosted the seminar and provided substantial logistical support for the training.