Many counties throughout California require new developments to form or become part of a community or municipal water system. In these cases, the designed water systems have large storage facilities and well-spaced hydrants that generally meet the needs of wildland firefighters.

Your Personal Emergency Water Supply
But if you live in a home that is separated from others you may not have access to an adequate community water system. In this case, you will need to develop an individual well or water source that provides suitable storage and fire equipment access.

A minimum water storage supply of 2,500 gallons is recommended for use in emergency situations. A water supply of 2,500 gallons is roughly equal to the average above ground pool, 10 feet in diameter. Storage facilities may include above or below ground tanks, swimming pools, perennial streams or ponds.

Cooperation with your neighbors can result in the development of a common emergency water storage facility that can provide protection for your home and several others.

Access To Your Emergency Water Supply
Once you have established an emergency water supply, you must make sure firefighters can get to it. If your water comes from a well, it is recommended that you have a gasoline-powered generator so firefighters can operate your pump during a power failure.

For any emergency water supply, the outlet valve must be easily seen and visibly signed from the nearest road. You can obtain specific outlet, valve design and thread requirements by contacting your local fire department.