Existing law provides generally for the regulation of wells, pumping plants, conduits, and streams. Existing law requires the State Fire Marshal to identify areas in the state as moderate, high, and very high fire hazard severity zones based on consistent statewide criteria and based on the severity of fire hazard that is expected to prevail in those areas.
This bill would, beginning July 1, 2027, require a water supplier that supplies water that is used for the suppression of fire in either a high or very high fire hazard severity zone to more than 20 total residential dwellings in those zones in the County of Ventura to have access to sufficient backup energy sources to operate critical wells and water pumps needed to supply water for at least 24 hours for the purpose of fire suppression in those zones, as provided. The bill would require the Ventura County Fire Department to annually inspect critical wells, water pumps, and generators, as specified. The bill would require a water supplier to take various actions, including notifying the Ventura County Office of Emergency Services within 3 business days of any reduction in its water delivery capacity that could hinder firefighting operations or significantly delay the replenishment of reservoirs. The bill would require, if any fire damages and makes uninhabitable more than 10 residential dwellings within the service area of a water supplier, a report be made by the Ventura County Fire Department in cooperation with the water supplier, as specified. By levying new requirements on the Ventura County Fire Department, this bill would create a state-mandated local program.
This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for County of Ventura.
The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.
This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.