Bushfire water tank requirements: a supply that still works when the power goes

Plan for the power and the mains to fail

The water side of bushfire preparation often assumes the tap will run and the pump will start. On a bad day neither is a given. The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) says a pumping system should keep adequate pressure "assuming that both main water pressure and main power are lost", and that systems which switch over automatically are preferred.

In practice that means asking one question of your setup: if the power went out right now, how would water get from the tank to the hose? If the only answer is an electric pump on the house supply, that's the gap to close.

NEMA: maintaining a water supply for your house

Bushfire water tank requirements: size and level

NEMA says a static water supply "should be big enough for the combination of all possible uses in a bushfire and full to this level through a bushfire season". There is no single size that suits every property. What you need depends on the block, the house and any requirements from your local fire authority or council planning approval, so check those before you decide.

The second half of that advice is easy to miss. A tank that is half empty by January because it doubles as the garden supply is not the supply you planned for. If you use the same tank for everyday water, decide what level you keep in reserve for the fire season and leave it there.

Pumps: flow, fuel and shielding

NEMA lists several things to look for in a firefighting pump:

• enough flow to be useful (it cites 400 litres per minute as an example)
• a way to run without mains power
• protection from radiant heat, embers and flames
• a position you can actually reach and start when you need it.

A pump sitting in the open beside the tank, on an extension lead from the shed, ticks none of those boxes. Shielding the pump and giving it a power source of its own are jobs to sort out well before a fire, not during one. Whatever kind of pump you have, start it and run it before summer so you know it primes and holds pressure.

Tank outlets and fittings

NEMA suggests a second outlet on the tank, with fittings that suit your State or Territory emergency service, or a dedicated firefighting supply off the mains. The point is that a fire crew can connect to your water without hunting for an adapter. Fittings differ between services, so check with your own fire service which one they use.

NEMA also says the tank and pipework "should operate throughout the bushfire". It recommends bushfire-rated tanks. Exposed pipe runs and fittings between the tank, the pump and the house are worth a close look, because a supply is only as good as the weakest join in it.

In NSW, a tank, pool or dam over 3,000 litres can also carry a free NSW RFS Static Water Supply sign, so firefighters know the water is there. Contact your local Fire Control Centre.

NSW RFS: Static Water Supply program

Sprinkler systems are not set and forget

Bushfire sprinkler and water spray systems have their own Australian Standard, AS 5414:2012, and NEMA recommends using a sprinkler specialist who knows it. NEMA is open about the trade-offs:

• fine spray can be blown away by bushfire winds, while heavier drenching systems use more water and need to be aimed
• sprinklers "use large amounts of water and will need very regular testing and maintenance"
• some systems need someone there shortly before the fire arrives to turn them on, which can work against leaving early, though some newer systems can be started remotely by phone.

A sprinkler system draws on the same tank and pump as everything else. Run it before the season, check every head, and make sure the tank can supply it for as long as you expect it to run. No system guarantees a house will survive, and it's no substitute for your bushfire survival plan.

Who should do the work

NEMA rates a firefighting water supply as a medium-cost job and notes that a tradesperson is required. Pump connections, second outlets, pipework from the tank to the house and the power arrangements are plumbing and electrical work, so get the right licensed trade for each part.

A pre-season check

• Tank level: at the reserve you have set for fire season, and staying there.
• Pump: started and run, primes and holds pressure, with a plan for no mains power.
• Pump shielding: protected from heat and embers, and you can reach it.
• Outlet: a fitting your fire service can connect to.
• Pipework: exposed runs and joins checked.
• Sprinklers, if you have them: run, every head checked, tank can keep up.
• NSW: Static Water Supply sign asked for, if your water qualifies.

For hoses, gutters and keeping tank water clean, see our earlier guide, Getting your water ready for bushfire season in NSW.

NSW RFS: prepare your property

Advice checked against the linked National Emergency Management Agency and NSW RFS pages in October 2026. Follow your local fire service's advice on the day.