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Bushfire

Bushfire

Your usual water supply may be impacted if there is a bushfire in your area.

How North East Water prepares for bushfires

North East Water prepares for the bushfire season by getting our people and systems ready for extreme conditions. This includes keeping storages full and having generators on standby. However, if there is a bushfire, we may not be able to maintain your mains water supply or water pressure. If there is an extreme increase in demand for water from residents and the CFA, water pressure may drop or the supply may stop altogether.

If there is a serious bushfire in your area, it could affect the quality of your drinking water. During and after a bushfire we recommend you boil your drinking water until we confirm it is safe to drink.

What you can do

Independent water supply

When preparing your fire plan, please consider an independent water supply. The CFA recommends a minimum of 10,000 litres with a non-electric pump to protect your home. We advise keeping a supply of drinking water in your fridge in preparation for high risk days or when bushfires are likely (three litres of water per person, per day is recommended).

Any water restrictions that may be in force will be waived if fire threatens your property.

Sprinklers

Please be mindful of using mains water on a high fire risk day. If you evacuate your home or property, do not leave garden or roof sprinklers running unattended. Town water needs to be conserved for when a fire front arrives.

Standpipes

All North East Water standpipes have been recently upgraded. Customers can now be issued with an electronic key which can be prepaid online. We urge people who may need water from standpipes to fight fires, to organise a key well before the fire season.

More information

For further information and advice on preparing for bushfire, contact the CFA on 1800 226 226 or visit the CFA website.