Topics > World War 2 > EWS: Emergency Water Supply
EWS: Emergency Water Supply
In the Second World War, local authorities were required to provide emergency water supplies for fighting fires in the event of air raids damaging the mains water supply. Typically, these were large temporary tanks of water, positioned around towns and cities. There were also pipes laid from swimming pools, and even water collected in bombed-out cellars and dammed-off rivers and streams. "EWS" signs and a direction arrow were painted on the walls of buildings to indicate the location of these emergency water supplies to fire fighters. Some of these old EWS signs, now faded, can still seen today.
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from Geograph (geograph)
Carlisle: World War II instructions at corner of Castle Street
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
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EMERGENCY WATER SUPPLY SIGNS
- "Emergency water supplies were laid in most, if not all towns and cities to provide a source of water for extinguishing fires and incendiary bombs, should the main supplies be …
Added by
Simon Cotterill
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![](https://s0.geograph.org.uk/geophotos/03/13/16/3131653_a5803093.jpg)
from Geograph (geograph)
Carlisle: World War II instructions at corner of Castle Street
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
![](/static/img/External_Website.png)
from http://www.users.globalnet.co…
EMERGENCY WATER SUPPLY SIGNS
- "Emergency water supplies were laid in most, if not all towns and cities to provide a source of water for extinguishing fires and incendiary bombs, should the main supplies be …
Added by
Simon Cotterill