Bushfires & your water supply

Did you know over 90% of WA is bushfire prone? Odds are you live in or near such an area, so it’s important to be prepared and plan ahead to keep safe in the event of a fire.

You can check if you live in a bushfire-prone area using the bushfire prone area map.

During a bushfire your mains water supply can't be guaranteed

Your mains water supply may be impacted when there is a bushfire. You may have low water pressure, or no water supply available. This is mainly due to:

• heat-damaged water infrastructure 
• power outages affecting our equipment and systems
• high demand, which can quickly empty water supply tanks

While leaving high-risk bushfire areas is the safest option, if you choose to stay and defend your home, you need to have an independent water supply, such as water tanks, and a means to pump the water in the event of power loss, such as a generator.

When is bushfire season?

Bushfires can happen all year round but the hottest and driest times of the year represent the highest bushfire risk. This is usually October to April in southern WA, and June to October in northern WA.

Plan ahead & be prepared

If you live in a bushfire-prone area, the Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES) recommends you have an independent water supply and pumping capability, if you choose to stay and defend your home.

This typically requires water tanks of at least 20,000 litres, pump and generator.

If you have a groundwater bore or access to surface water, you can take and store emergency water without it counting against your annual entitlement. To find out more, and the location of emergency bushfire water supplies in dryland agricultural areas, visit the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation website.

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

On average each person requires at least 20 litres of water per day for drinking, washing and cooking. At least 2.5 of the 20 litres is required for drinking. On days of significant fire risk (very high, severe, extreme or catastrophic) make sure you fill containers, buckets and sinks with an emergency water supply. Drinking water should be stored in a clean, sealed container.

Bushfire survival plan

Creating a bushfire plan and being prepared ahead of bushfire season, will help you know what to do when you’re at risk of fire.

Use the following DFES resources to develop a bushfire survival plan that is suitable for your family and personal situation:

• Bushfire preparation toolkit
• Preparing your property checklist
• Know your bushfire alerts and warnings

You can also download the My Bushfire Plan app via the App Store or Google Play, to access your bushfire plan anytime - even without an internet connection.

How we prepare for bushfires

We plan for bushfire season by readying our equipment and systems, including:

This includes:

• clearing land and access tracks within and around our water pumping stations, storage areas and catchments
• making mobile generators available for deployment to water pumping stations
• planning access to water carters to transport emergency water supplies.

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 are minimised

Despite these efforts, water supply during a bushfire can be affected by power outages or a drastic drop in water pressure.

We have mobile generators on standby, in the event of an emergency, but our crews can only enter a bushfire zone to install them or repair the network when it is safe for them to do so.

It's also not practical to install emergency generators at every pump station. The cost, vulnerability from fire and the danger from stored diesel are all too great.

Assistance for customers affected by bushfire

We’re available 24/7 to help with any urgent issues such as damaged water meters and faults resulting from a bushfire. Please call us on 13 13 75.

If you have used water to defend your property, you may be eligible to receive a bushfire rebate of up to 20,000 litres on your water bill. If you’re experiencing payment difficulties after a bushfire event, please call us on 13 13 85 (8am - 5pm weekdays) to discuss the options available to you.

Where to stay informed

The Emergency WA website provides immediate access to emergency information and community safety warnings and incidents.

During a bushfire event, stay tuned to local ABC radio and local media for current updates on the situation.

For more information on preparing for bushfire season, visit the Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES) website.