Water warning for bushfire season

Gippsland Water managing director David Mawer pointed to a number of factors that make reticulated water an unreliable water source during a bushfire.

“We have 17 water supply systems, all of which are designed to cope with peak seasonal demands and can continue to supply treated water in the event of short-term power outages,” Mr Mawer said.

“Bushfires are a whole different ball game. Water demand spikes massively as residents in the bushfire zone water down their houses or put out spot fires. This can lead to a drop in water pressure, and the rate of water use may exceed the rate at which we can deliver or even treat water.

“We have treated water storages so we can maintain supplies during blackouts or plant failures, but during a bushfire power may be cut for an extended period. If this is the case, once the stored water has been used, residents would need to have an alternate water supply in order to activate their fire plans.”

Mr Mawer also highlighted the occupational health and safety concerns of his organisation.

“During the January – February bushfires earlier this year, three of our water treatment plants, Rawson, Mirboo North and Boolarra, were under direct fire threat. We evacuated our staff early and ran the treatment plants remotely from our head office. Where those plants sustained damage, temporary water supplies were brought in while the treatment plants were repaired and restarted.

“Essentially, we are requesting that customers follow the advice of the Country Fire Authority when preparing their fire plans, but we cannot stress enough that customers should not plan on using reticulated water as their main source of water for fire suppression,” Mr Mawer said.

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