In the event of a power outage or a PG&E public safety power shutdown, the City of Santa Rosa's public water and sewer system is supported by back-up generators and diesel pumps. During a power outage Santa Rosa Water is prepared to maintain water supply, wastewater collection, and treatment to all of our customers.  

Residents with private wells, private water pumps, and private sewer grinder/booster pumps need to be prepared in the event of a power outage. Know how your water and sewer system operates and have a back-up plan during an outage.

For information about preparing for out emergency, please visit srcity.org/emergency to learn more about power outages and knowing your emergency alerts. 

RESIDENTS WITH PRIVATE WELLS, WATER BOOSTER PUMPS, AND SEWER GRINDER/BOOSTER PUMPS 

Water Distribution  

In the event of a power outage, the City’s public water and sewer system is supported by back-up generators and diesel pumps. During a power outage Santa Rosa Water is prepared to maintain water supply to the meter at all homes and businesses. Residents that receive water from the public water system but require a private booster pump to deliver water from the public system to their property, may be affected by an outage.

The private portion of your water system, on the property side of your meter, is where a private booster system may be installed. A private water booster system is designed to increase water pressure in homes and businesses in areas where the property is at a higher elevation than the water meter or additional pressure in needed for the residential fire suppression system.  

Sewer Collection System 

Residents with private sewer pumps need to be prepared to provide back-up power for the private portion of their sewer system during an extended outage. If your private system is not operating, due to an outage, your sewer system will not convey sewage to the public sewer collection system. If your home or business has a private sewer pump it’s important to know and plan for back-up power to avoid a sewer overflow on your property.

Private (Domestic) Wells 

Private wells are not operated or maintained by Santa Rosa Water. Any Santa Rosa resident that relies on a private well, as their only source of water supply, will need to develop a plan to supply their water system with back-up power.

Planning for back-up generation 

It is important for all customers to independently plan for an emergency and take steps to prepare for extended outages due to extreme weather or natural disasters, such as securing backup power generation. Customers can find more information about backup generators, how to purchase them, and how to operate them safely at pge.com/backupgeneration.

RECYCLED WATER CUSTOMERS 

If PG&E initiates a PSPS that affects your property, be prepared that the irrigation booster station serving your property will likely not have power and may affect your ability to irrigate with recycled water. Once power is restored the City’s irrigation team will work quickly to perform required inspections/maintenance of the system and return recycled water service to customers. To learn more about PSPS, please visit pge.com/psps.

WATER CONSERVATION 

Conserving water during a power outage reduces the demand on the City’s backup power generators that help move water around the city for essential needs, such as drinking water and water for firefighting.

In the event of an outage that lasts 24 hours or longer, Santa Rosa Water requests residents conserve water indoors and outdoors, this includes using water efficiently, eliminating outdoor watering, and remembering to turn off irrigation systems.  

By conserving water, it will allow the City’s water distribution system, which relies on electrical power, to move water throughout the City for essential needs.  To learn more about ways to save water, please visit srcity.org/watersmart.