Example of a fire service

Fire Service Charge factsheet

• Introducing the fire service charge (pdf - 149.16KB)

  From 1 July 2019 City West Water will be introducing an annual fire service charge to customers with a private fire service.

Repairing a private fire service

The property owner is responsible for undertaking any necessary alterations or repair any leaks or bursts on a private fire service. The Water Industry Regulations require a registered plumber to carry out all repair works to a fire service.

If we become aware of a leak or burst on a private fire service a 'Notice of Repair' will be issued to the owner specifying a date by which the repairs must be completed.

This also includes all road openings, traffic management and supplying temporary water supply for domestic use unless prior arrangements have been made with us.

In an emergency we may enter the property and carry out any required works. If the leak or required works become dangerous or pose a possible health risk, we may restrict water supply to the property or arrange for the works to be completed at the owner's expense.

Please note that the property owner is responsible for the payment of repair work, and may also be liable for any damages that occur as a result of a fire service's pipe failure.

Operating a fire service valve

Operation of the fire service valve may only be undertaken by our authorised officer or a licensed plumber acting on behalf of the property owner.

The detector check valve

All new fire services and any modification to an existing fire service must include a detector check valve assembly in the fire line system. A detector check valve comprises a spring loaded check valve in parallel with a by-pass meter assembly.

In a non-flow condition, the mainline check and by-pass check are closed and the meter is idle. High pressure flows will open the mainline check, providing unrestricted supply for firefighting duties.

During operation at low flow rates, the mainline check remains closed so that low flows through the fire line system are registered by the by-pass meter.

Fire Service Charge

From 1 July, 2019 City West Water will introduce a Fire Service Charge of $103.24 annually and charged at $25.81 per quarter, which will only affect customers who own a private fire service connection.

The charge covers costs related to the design, operation and maintenance of our water network to ensure it is capable of supporting the high pressure flow necessary from a private fire service in the event of a fire. A private fire service can include fire hydrants, hose reels, and sprinklers.

The charge brings City West Water into alignment with industry standard and other metropolitan water corporations who already have such charges in place. Costs are outlined in the 2018 Essential Services Commission (ESC) pricing submission.

How do I know if my property has a private fire service?

A fire service is a privately owned asset that provides direct access to the water supply network and is installed for the purpose of extinguishing a fire. Water authorities allow properties to connect the network for firefighting. Features of these fire services likely to be apparent on your property include hose reels, fire hydrants, and automatic sprinkler systems. These surface fittings can be easily identified by their red colour.

What is the Fire Service Charge?  

City West Water provides some customer sites with private fire services connections to our water network, to deliver water in the event of a fire. In response to changes in our responsibilities under the Water Regulations 2014, we are introducing a private Fire Service Charge that will cover the cost of operations and maintenance of the water network and fire service connection to allow for high pressure water in the case of a fire.

How much will the Fire Service Charge cost?

The Fire Service Charge is $103.24 annually per fire service, billed quarterly ($25.81 per quarter).

Will I be affected by the new charge?

The charge will only affect you if you own a property that has a private fire service connection. A charge will be levied on a per connection basis. This means that customers with multiple fire service connections will be charged for each private fire service connection at their property.

What is the charge paying for?

The Fire Service Charge will pay for costs associated with the operations and maintenance of the water network as well as the fire service connection. This ensures continuous access to high pressure flow is available in the event of an emergency fire. The charge will also provide programs to identify unmetered water use through private fire services, resulting in a reduction in water use in identified cases.  

How does it benefit me?

The Fire Service Charge pays for costs associated with the operation and maintenance of the water network as well as fire service connection. This ensures access to of high pressure flow which is required in the event of a fire. A fire service connected to the water network means customers are able to minimise costs for private fire-fighting infrastructure.

Why is this change happening now?

Following changes to the Water Regulations 2014 City West Water is introducing the private Fire Service Charge to contribute to the maintenance and renewal of fire service valves and connections. This charge will also contribute to covering the cost of network operations and maintenance to ensure a high pressure flow rate is available in the case of an emergency.

Need more information?
Email FireService@citywestwater.com.au.