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Ventura County Board unanimously backs state bill to bolster water resiliency for firefighting
Summary
Supervisors voted unanimously to publicly support Assembly Bill 367, a newly introduced measure that would require steps such as backup power for wells and topped-off storage tanks to help sustain water delivery during power shutoffs and wildfire events.
The Ventura County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously Feb. 25 to publicly support Assembly Bill 367, legislation introduced by Assemblymember Steve Bennett aimed at strengthening water infrastructure resilience during wildfires and public safety power shutoffs.
The board endorsed the measure — brought to the dais by Supervisors Matt LaVere and Linda Long — after supervisors and a recorded statement from Bennett described a package of requirements that would, if enacted, push for hardening of pumps and wells, backup power for critical water infrastructure, and a requirement that water tanks be kept topped during extreme weather.
"The legislation has just been drafted and introduced," Supervisor LaVere said in presenting the board letter. "The four main tenants of the bill are to ensure that there is enough backup power to operate wells and pumps at normal capacity as long as possible in the case of a power shutoff or fire emergency, requirement that water tanks be filled when there's extreme weather, hardening of wells and pumps against fire damage, and a required report to the board assessing water delivery when losses exceed certain thresholds."
Bennett recorded remarks for the meeting stressing the bill's intent to maximize the operation time of hydrants and other water infrastructure during emergencies and to pursue grant funding to harden systems. "We're trying to create a system that maximizes the potential of the current system, make sure that we actually try to get hydrants to operate for hours rather than minutes," Bennett said in the recording.
The board discussion ranged from technical questions about inspection frequency to funding. Supervisor Katherine Long noted concerns raised by local water districts about the cost of generators; supervisors and staff agreed the bill will likely be refined as it moves through committee and that FEMA and other grant sources could offset local costs.
Why it matters: Ventura County has experienced some of the largest wildfire disasters in Southern California during the past decade. Supervisors said the bill is intended to improve firefighting effectiveness and local resilience by protecting water supply and delivery during outages and fire events.
Action and next steps: The board’s unanimous vote was a public show of support and will be sent to the bill’s author and the county’s legislative advocates. The board requested continued coordination with state legislators, water districts and fire agencies as the measure proceeds through the legislative process.
Speakers quoted in this article appear in the official transcript of the Feb. 25, 2025, Ventura County Board of Supervisors meeting.
