Helfenberg firefighters ask residents to report private water sources

Helfenberg’s volunteer fire brigade is asking residents to report private water sources as drought strains drinking-water supplies and limits water available for firefighting, ORF reports. Helfenberg is a municipality in Rohrbach district.

The brigade asked residents on Instagram to report filled swimming pools, ponds and other water containers. The strained drinking-water supply is also affecting the municipality’s hydrant network.

Markus Voglhuber of the state fire brigade command said water reserves could be limited in the event of a fire. Firefighters will coordinate with the local municipality, which is responsible for firefighting water supplies, to find alternatives.

Voglhuber said there were no known similar appeals elsewhere in Upper Austria. Some municipalities and fire brigades are finding local solutions, he said, depending on their needs and available resources.