Preparing for Public Safety Power Shutoffs

During the wildfire season (approximately June through November), PG&E may turn off electricity in designated areas when extreme fire danger conditions are forecast (such as Red Flag Warnings, low humidity, high winds, and dry conditions). The specific areas and number of affected customers will depend on weather conditions and which circuits PG&E turns off for public safety. These precautions are called Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS).

What does this mean for your water service?

CCWD has an action plan should we lose power. While PSPS is focused on high fire-threat areas, outages may affect some of our water facilities. Outages are expected to last up to two days; depending on weather conditions and power restoration efforts, however, some outages may last longer.

A PSPS event could require CCWD to switch to backup generators to power pumping plants, water treatment plants and other key facilities to keep water flowing, and to maintain storage and fire flow.

Here is what we are doing to prepare: 

  • We are working with PG&E to ensure we receive as much advance notice as possible so we can prepare and initiate our response.
  • When a Red Flag Warning is issued, we fill and maintain water tanks near capacity.
  • CCWD is stationing portable generators and pumps at designated critical facilities to keep our pumping plants running, and we’ve made arrangements to keep these generators fueled during peak demand periods. We can deploy additional portable generators and pumps as needed.

What can you do to prepare?

  • In the event of an emergency, we can provide you with timely information. Be sure to update your contact information:
    • My Water Report (Note: If you're new to My Water Report, you'll need to create an account.)
    • Call us at 925-688-8000
  • As with any emergency, we recommend having a plan and preparing an emergency kit. 
    • For information about preparing for emergencies, we recommend FEMA’s guidelines to store one gallon, per-person, per-day for at least a three-day supply.
    • For general emergencies, view current alerts and sign up to receive alerts from the Contra Costa Community Warning System.
    • For wildfire preparedness and more information on PSPS, please visit pge.com/wildfiresafety.
    • For water emergencies, call CCWD any time at 925-688-8374.