MILO – Approximately 67,000 gallons of water were lost in Milo late Tuesday night and early Wednesday morning when vandals stole the caps from two fire hydrants, leaving them open.

According to Kevin Black, superintendent of the Milo Water District, one open hydrant was discovered on First Street at about 9 p.m. Tuesday. The other open hydrant, on Park Street, was unnoticed until alarms at the filter plant activated at about 3 a.m. Wednesday. Personnel were called out to search for a leak in the water system.

Milo has about 72 fire hydrants. To check for a leaking hydrant, personnel must drive throughout town, looking for water on the roads, signs that the larger water lines may have broken, or open hydrants.

“It’s important that people understand the importance – this isn’t a game,” said Black. “If you have a fire in one of these outlying areas, and a hydrant is on which nobody knows about, it makes a big difference in firefighting.” Black said an open hydrant can cut the ability of firefighters to get water to a fire by 50 percent.

In addition to potential firefighting problems, an open hydrant creates added costs for the municipality, including the electrical costs of pumping, chemical costs for water treatment, and the costs of labor and equipment required to search for leaks when alarms note that there has been water loss.

Milo police are investigating the incident and the Milo Water District is offering a $500 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the vandals.

Black requests that all residents call the water district if they see unattended open hydrants, or see a hydrant being tampered with. Anyone with information on the vandalism should contact the Milo Police Department at 943-2281.