Fires - Don’t rely on household water
With hot temperatures expected over the coming days, Gippsland Water is reminding customers who may face bush or grass fires this summer that household water supply systems should not be relied upon in times of emergency.
Gippsland Water general manager customer service and communications Paul Clark said there are a number of factors that can have an impact on water supply in a fire.
“If a large number of homeowners are filling buckets or hosing down properties during a bushfire, extreme increased demand can lead to lower water pressure at the tap,” he said.
“Add in a CFA tanker filling up at the same time and the water delivery system is likely to completely stall, leaving homeowners with no water at all.
“This is because our town water systems are designed to cater for everyday domestic drinking water needs only, and we are unable to guarantee water pressure or an uninterrupted supply in a bushfire event.”
Like homeowners, Gippsland Water prepares for bushfire season by maintaining its infrastructure and sites, training staff in emergency management, and listening to the CFA for warnings about upcoming conditions.
“With a forecast of another hot, dry summer before us, one of the other key things we do is to urge customers to be prepared with another source should their town water becomes limited or unavailable in a fire emergency,” Mr Clark said.
The CFA recommends homeowners who choose to stay and defend their property have at least 10,000 litres of water available independent of the mains water supply, as well as firefighting hoses and a generator to pump water should mains power become interrupted.
Detailed information about preparing for a bushfire can be found at the website cfa.vic.gov.au.