Lukins Brothers Water Company achieves Firewise recognition through community–led risk reduction
Press release from the California Water Association:
The California Water Association (CWA) today announced that the Lukins Brothers Water Company, which services Tahoe Valley, has earned official recognition from Firewise USA®, marking a significant milestone and example of community-led risk reduction as California considers new approaches to utility preparedness, insurance affordability and long-term wildfire resilience.
Lukins Brothers Water Company’s new Firewise USA recognition now encompasses its service area. The achievement is especially significant because Lukins is a small, regulated water provider serving nearly 3,300 customers—demonstrating that systems of any size can bring neighbors and local partners together to reduce shared wildfire risk.
The milestone comes as Governor Newsom and state lawmakers grappled with a wildfire package this week that included proposals related to utility liability, home hardening, insurance availability, and customer affordability. The statewide debate also places a renewed attention on how utilities prepare for wildfire and how investments made before a disaster can protect infrastructure, reduce future losses and help manage long-term costs.
While statewide policies remain under discussion, Lukin’s recognition shows what can be accomplished now through local planning, education and community coordination.
“California’s current wildfire and insurance debate underscores that resilience must begin before disaster strikes,” said Jennifer Capitolo, Executive Director of the California Water Association. “Lukins Brothers Water Company has shown what local leadership looks like by protecting essential water service, strengthening an entire community and helping residents take practical steps that may also support insurance affordability. That is water California can count on.”
Administered by the National Fire Protection Association, Firewise USA is a nationally recognized program that helps neighbors work together to identify wildfire risks and implement locally driven measures to reduce them. The recognition process includes completing a community wildfire-risk assessment, developing an action plan, organizing residents and documenting investments of time and resources in wildfire-risk reduction.
Lukins Brothers Water Company worked with residents, the Tahoe Resource Conservation District and other local partners to organize its service area as a Firewise community. The effort included mapping and dividing the service area into neighborhood sections, establishing a community committee, educating residents about defensible space and home hardening, and coordinating a neighborhood cleanup event with vegetation removal and green-waste services.
“This accomplishment belongs to the entire Tahoe Valley community,” said Jennifer Lukins, owner and president of Lukins Brothers Water Company and a member of CWA’s Board of Directors. “As a small water system, we understand how important it is to work closely with the people we serve. Our customers and community partners stepped up, contributed their time and took meaningful action to make our neighborhoods safer. We hope our experience gives other water systems a model they can adapt for their own communities.”
The recognition has already produced a tangible benefit for at least one participating resident, who reported receiving a $200 insurance discount after submitting the Lukins Brothers Water Company service area’s Firewise recognition statement to their insurer. Insurance eligibility and savings vary by carrier and policy, but California’s Safer from Wildfires framework identifies participation in a recognized Firewise USA community as a community-level wildfire mitigation measure that may help policyholders qualify for insurance discounts.
About the California Water Association
The California Water Association represents regulated drinking water providers that deliver safe and reliable water to approximately six million Californians. Through advocacy, public education and collaboration, CWA works to ensure that water remains safe, affordable and accessible while promoting accountability, environmental sustainability and long-term system resilience. Learn more at calwaterassn.com and water4ca.calwaterassn.com.
About Lukins Brothers Water Company
Lukins Brothers Water Company is a small, regulated drinking water provider serving portions of the Tahoe Valley. The company is committed to providing safe, reliable water while working collaboratively with customers and community partners to strengthen wildfire preparedness and neighborhood resilience.
