Chaffee County Fire is involved with (1) the testing of existing cisterns,  (2) determining when a new cistern needs to be constructed as well as the volume and placement, and (3) during installation we are involved with on-site inspections and acceptance of the cistern. 

1. Existing Cistern Testing: Existing cistern testing occurs as resources allow in our department with no set schedule. We have a goal to test each existing cistern annually to make sure that:

• there are no obstructions to acessing the cistern
• the signage for the cistern is present and accurate
• there is water in the cistern
• our apparatus can pull a draft from the access pipe

2. A determination on whether new cisterns are required occur during subdivision and site planning. See those tabs for additional information. Cisterns are only required in areas not served by hydranted municipal water supply. If you are located in a municipality, you are served by hydrants and do not need a cistern. 

3. Installation of new cisterns-Process

• If Chaffee County Fire requires you to build a cistern, the steps to do so are as follows: 
  • 1. Fill out the water cistern permit form on file with Chaffee County Building Department
    • This form includes a required attached approval letter from Chaffee Fire on your site plan for the location of the cistern, and the installation plans. 
  • 2. Then, once the cistern has been placed into the excavated hole, Chaffee Fire or the building department needs to be called out to perform an on-site inspection of the cistern to verify that its volume matches the plans prior to backfill. If the cistern is backfilled before we perform this on-site verification, we reserve the right to make you dig it up. 
  • 3. Once the backfill is complete, we need to return  for a final sign-off to confirm signage and piping is complete, we will pull a draft to confirm it has been filled with water. 

4. If the development of fire suppression water supply is required for your proposed project, then it must follow the adopted standards. It is strongly recommended that you review the plans and hydraulic model for the system with us prior to installation, so as to avoid any change after installation.

• Cisterns: Must be installed in accordance with the Chaffee County Cistern Plan, which can be obtained from the Chaffee County Building Department, and NFPA 1142.
• Dry Hydrants: Must be installed in accordance with NFPA 1142.
• Private Pressurized Hydrant Systems: Mains and appurtenances must be installed in accordance with NFPA 24; water tanks must be installed in accordance with NFPA 22.