Dear Council and City Staff,
In regard to the water infrastructure and water supply to fight fires, who is responsible for maintaining the system – the City of Sebastopol or the Fire District? As it has become clear to all parties, the City of Sebastopol’s water and sewer infrastructure is old and requires upgrades, maintenance and replacement.
As a resident of the City, water and sewer rate payer and property tax payer, I would like to have either the City of Sebastopol or Gold Ridge specified as the responsible party for maintaining the firefighting water system, especially the components that are used in firefighting such as hydrants, storage tanks, pumps, electrical sources and other infrastructure components.
Regular inspections with public documentation should be part of the responsible parties duties.
Whomever designated as the responsible party (City of Sebastopol or Goldridge), should be required present infrastructure reports and inspection at minimum on an annual basis.
Once again, the fires in Los Angeles were complicated by a failing water system. I also know that the City of Sebastopol has parts of its system that have the potential to fail.
As the City moves forward with water and sewer infrastructure upgrades, it might be prudent to look at the parts of the system which relate to firefighting and give them more priority.
Thank you,
Kate Haug