Water Supplies and Utilities
During major bush fire events, the preparedness of a development and its occupants may be seriously jeopardised with the loss of basic services (particularly water and electricity). As part of the development consent process for new development it may be necessary to specify the provision of certain services.
Adequate water supply is critical for any fire fighting operation, particularly where property protection is envisaged. The amount of water to be supplied may vary with differing geographical and topographical conditions.
In addition, significantly increased population densities in certain areas through out NSW may draw upon existing water supplies which, if not supplemented, may prove inadequate in the face of a major bush fire event. This requires careful consideration at the subdivision stage to ensure adequate water will be available.
Furthermore, gas and electricity services should be located so as not to contribute to the risk of fire or impede the fire fighting effort.
The performance criteria and acceptable solutions for water supply and utilities can be found in Chapter 4 - Performance Based Controls (PDF 20,901kb).
For more information about each of the six bush fire protection measures to be considered when planning a development in a bush fire prone area, return to the Bush Fire Protection Measures main page.
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