Fire Service Pressure and Flow Information

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    The City of Vacaville is committed to providing reliable, available pressure and water flow for all customers. Water pressure typically ranges from 30 to 120 pounds per square inch depending upon the elevation of a customer’s service connection in one of the City’s seven pressure zones. Water flow is primarily determined by the size of a customer’s service connection and the water pressure at that connection.

    Flow and Pressure Information Requests

    You can request water pressure and flow information by submitting a Fire Flow Analysis Request Form. The City of Vacaville’s Utilities Department will conduct a hydraulic modeling analysis at the connection point(s) to determine the available flow and pressure at your project site. This information will be emailed to you in approximately 10 business days. A separate form must be completed for each potential connection point.

    See the instructions on the Fire Flow Analysis Request Form for additional information. If you have any questions or require additional information, please contact the Utilities Department at (707) 469-6400 or at utilitiesdept@cityofvacaville.com.

    Fire Flow Requirements

    As identified in the City’s Water System Master Plan, minimum fire flow requirements for new development are, in general, as follows:

    • Single Family Residential, Low Density – 1,500 gallons per minute (gpm)
    • Single Family Residential, Low-Medium or Medium Density – 3,000 gpm
      • Low-Medium Density Residential developments may only require 1,500 gpm, if houses are constructed with a minimum eave-to-eave separation of 6 ft.
    • Multi-family Residential or Single Family Residential, Medium-High or High Density – 4,500 gpm
    • Schools – 3,000 gpm
    • Commercial or Industrial – 4,500 gpm

    All fire flows are based on a required minimum residual pressure of 20 psi and a maximum pipe velocity of 10 feet per second.

    However, the Fire Department is ultimately responsible for determining all actual fire flow requirements according to the development type, building construction, and fire protection mitigation methods.

    Additional Resources

    The Citywide Basemap application can be used to look up Assessor’s Parcel Numbers and general locations of water mains. To view hydrant and water main locations, click the Layer List icon located in the upper-right toolbar area. Click the Utilities checkbox in the list to view all City utilities; you can uncheck all but the Water Distribution System checkboxes to view only water utilities.

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