Bushfires & your water supply

Do you live in or near a bushfire prone area? Then now is the time to check that you are prepared in the event of a fire.

When developing your bush fire survival plan, you need to consider what you will do if a bushfire occurs and what you will need.

If you choose to stay and defend your home, you need to have an independent water supply and pumping capability ready because scheme water may not be available due to infrastructure damage or power cuts.

For more information on how to prepare for a bushfire,

Read our media release, Bushfire season is here: do you have an independent water supply?

How DFES recommend you secure your independent water supply

It is likely that you will lose water and power supplies during a bushfire. If you are planning to actively defend your home, DFES recommend you have an independent water supply and pumping capability.

We are prepared for bushfire season. However, we cannot guarantee that water pressure or water supply will be maintained in the event of a bushfire. Loss of electricity may cause pumps that transfer water to our storage tanks to fail. We may not be able to access water supply or respond to system failures in areas that are deemed by DFES or Western Power to be unsafe for our staff to enter.

Our planning

We prepare for bushfire season by readying our equipment and systems to cope with extreme conditions.

This includes:

Clearing land and access tracks within and around our water pumping stations, storage areas and catchments

Transportable generators available for deployment as required to water pumping stations

Access to water carters to transport emergency water supplies should the need arise

A public education campaign in collaboration with DFES.

We?re working with DFES

We work closely with DFES in the event of a bushfire so that:

Firefighters can quickly locate fire hydrants

Firefighters have the best access to available water supplies

Disruptions, or low pressure to customers connected to our system are minimised.

Despite these efforts, there will be a reduction in water pressure during bushfires and it is likely that public water supply tanks will empty.

Drinking water

We recommend you keep a supply of drinking water available throughout summer in case your water supply is interrupted.

Bushfire contacts and more information

For more information about preparing your family and home for bushfire season, visit the Department of Fire and Emergency website or your local councils website.

Assistance after a fire