05/04/2026
We’ve received several questions regarding this page, grants, and the proposed fire
suppression well project, and we would like to provide some clarification.
First, this is not an official government page. This is a private page and is managed by the
Firefighters Association, not the Fire Department administration. We use it to connect with our
community, share information about local events, provide safety tips, and keep residents
informed about fire department related topics. We truly appreciate the engagement, questions,
and interaction we have been receiving.
Regarding grants and water wells:
Groveland Township Fire Department operates on a very tight budget. To help supplement
funding, we actively pursue grants and other outside funding opportunities for equipment,
infrastructure, and resources that are unable to be funded within our regular operating budget.
Each month, during the township board meeting, we discuss current and potential grant
opportunities. These meetings are open to the public. However, the fire department portion takes
place after the general meeting, and many residents leave before that discussion begins.
It is important to understand that grants are designated for specific purposes. Grant funds cannot
simply be moved around or used freely for unrelated needs. When we pursue a grant or state
funding request, it is tied to a specific project, purpose, or public safety need.
The fire suppression well project is a Groveland Township Fire Department initiative. Countless
hours have already been invested into researching, planning, advocating, and pursuing funding
for this project, with many more hours still to come. This initiative is one of many the
department is undertaking to make Groveland Township a safer place to live without increasing
taxes.
Water Supply and Fire Suppression Wells
Groveland Township does not have a municipal water system or fire hydrants. When a structure
fire occurs, firefighters must rely heavily on tanker shuttle operations. This means water must be
hauled from available, distant water sources to the fire scene. That process takes time, personnel,
apparatus, and mutual aid resources.
We currently have five Township owned and operated wells located throughout the township,
including:
Groveland Fire Station 2
Township Hall
Groveland Road and Jossman Road
Bedrock
Bald Eagle Lake West of Bird
There are also four private wells installed per ordinance that we are permitted to utilize:
Big Sky Drive
The Pines of Woodlands
Two smaller wells on Trefoil in the Star Bluff subdivision
At this time, locations for additional wells have not been finalized because grant approval is
required before moving forward. That said, we do have general areas identified where additional
water access would be beneficial.
Any future well locations would still be subject to review, including site access, property
availability, permitting requirements, engineering considerations, and the ability of the site to
produce a usable water supply. These wells would be for emergency fire suppression use only.
They would not create a public water system, domestic water service, or utility infrastructure.
The proposed wells would be strategically placed throughout the township to provide the greatest practical coverage area. The goal is to reduce the distance fire apparatus must travel to obtain water and to improve the department’s ability to establish and maintain a more reliable water supply during emergencies.
The wells would not eliminate the need for tanker operations, but they would improve those
operations by reducing travel distance, shortening refill times, and helping keep apparatus and
personnel closer to the emergency scene.
The primary goal of adding more water sites is to reduce the time it takes to deliver water to a
fire scene. Currently, some areas of the township are located 2 to 3 miles from the nearest water
source “as the crow flies,” and there is often no direct route to those sites. Distance, road layout,
weather, traffic, and limited access through state and county owned land can all affect how
quickly water can be moved.
All calls within Groveland Township are handled by the Groveland Township Fire Department,
and we provide service 24/7. If our crews are already committed to other incidents, we receive
mutual aid assistance from neighboring departments. In addition, structure fires automatically
receive mutual aid dispatch from surrounding agencies.
Will neighboring departments be able to access these wells?
Absolutely. Expanding water access benefits not only Groveland Township Fire Department but
also surrounding communities and neighboring departments. These wells would strengthen
overall regional fire protection.
Will this encourage development?
No. These wells are not part of a municipal water system. There are no water mains running
through the township, and these wells are not intended to support large commercial or industrial
development.
The wells by themselves will not produce the fire flow required to support a large commercial
building. Large commercial buildings are subject to separate fire code requirements, engineering
review, site plan review, and required fire protection systems based on the size, use, and hazard
of the building.
The intent of this project is to improve public safety for the homes, residents, businesses, public
lands, and roadways we already serve.
These wells would help protect homes, small businesses, farms, rural properties, public land,
roadways, and surrounding areas by giving firefighters better access to water during
emergencies.
This also ties directly into our ISO rating. Groveland Township currently has an ISO rating of 3,
which may help reduce homeowner’s insurance costs depending on the insurance provider. A
major part of the ISO rating is water supply and how quickly water can be delivered to any
building in the community. Improving water access helps strengthen our fire protection
capabilities.
Most importantly, this project is being pursued through state funding so these improvements can
be made without placing an additional tax burden on Groveland Township residents.
To be clear, this project is not a new tax, millage, special assessment, or utility system. It is an
effort to secure outside funding for public safety infrastructure that improves fire protection
without increasing the tax burden on Groveland Township residents.
This is a public safety infrastructure project. It is about giving firefighters better tools, improving
response capability, protecting lives, and reducing property loss in a township that currently has
no hydrant system.
Again, we appreciate the engagement and feedback from the community. If you have any further
questions regarding the Fire Department, please contact Chief Williams at Station 1.
