Western Oilfields Supply Company (WOSCO) started in 1934 as a three-man operation, providing oilfield supplies such as pipe fittings, rags, and hatchets to drilling sites. In the 1950s, the business realized an opportunity to serve a new market and began supplying rental equipment and irrigation pipes to farmers. This became the catalyst for the company's next chapter — and with it, a new name.
"The name Rain for Rent was born during a time when we expanded our services into the agricultural market. It worked as a conversation starter and allowed us to talk about the heart of our business and exactly what we provide to our customers: an easy, affordable way to rent rain when they need it," says Julie Doris, who serves as the corporate communications manager for Rain for Rent. "Customers were able to 'rent rain' by utilizing temporary sprinkler systems, a new irrigation method at the time."
Rain for Rent's pumps are often utilized for bypass and dewatering applications. These units are used in several different applications in a variety of industries. The pumps have to run efficiently in constantly changing and sometimes extreme weather conditions. They are also instrumental in emergency response situations because of their ability to be quickly transported where there is flooding. Rain for Rent has a proven track record of helping government agencies respond to a variety of emergencies such as floods, emergency sewer bypasses, and spills.
One such incident was the Gold King Mine spill 2015. Rain for Rent came to the aid of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) after the accidental release of 11,365 cubic meters (3 million gallons) of acidic water laden with heavy metals into the Colorado River system, affecting communities in Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah.
Rain for Rent dispatched a combination of HH80 high-head pumps and DV150i pumps along with pipe, hoses, and fittings to handle the necessary head pressure and flow to overcome the 3,657-meter (12,000 ft) elevation and move water uphill into weir ponds for initial treatment and solids settling.
Rain for Rent sources its pump from its sister company, PowerPrime™. Based in Bakersfield, California, PowerPrime manufactures a wide variety of pumps, including clear-water pumps, trash and sewage pumps, high-head pumps, and specialty pumps. At the heart of these pumping units are John Deere engines that have been powering the company's pumps for more than 30 years. PowerPrime buys hundreds of John Deere engines each year, ranging from 36 to 448 kW (48 to 600 hp).
Rain for Rent engineer Dave Bryant has been working to integrate John Deere Final Tier 4/Stage IV engines into the PowerPrime pump line. PowerPrime has built a 6RB pump with a PowerTech™ PVX 6.8L Final Tier 4/Stage IV engine. The company has also manufactured several DV150c pumps with PowerTech EWX 4.5L engines rated at 55 kW (74 hp).
Today, Rain for Rent still rents irrigation equipment to farmers, but the company's reach and impact continue to extend far beyond farm fields.
"Our customers are vitally important to us," says Doris. "We work hard to meet their needs — if it has to do with moving, pumping, or storing water, Rain for Rent has the equipment to get the job done."
