Federal law requires flood insurance if you have a federally backed mortgage and your building is in an area shown on maps prepared by the Federal Emergency Management Agency )FEMA) as subject to flooding during a 100-year flood event (a 100-year flood event has a 1 % chance of occurring in any given year). While lenders are legally responsible for determining if a flood insurance policy is required for a loan, the Santa Clara Valley Water District provides assistance in reading and interpreting the FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM). This assistance, offered free of charge, includes information on whether a property is in the 100-year floodplain, which zone, and its base flood elevation, if available. The water district can also provide information about flood insurance purchase requirements.FEMA’s Elevation Certificate is another important tool used for rating flood insurance policies. It is a standardized form that documents the height of the floors in a building relative to the ground and to the FEMA 100-year flood surface. The certificate is used by insurance agents to properly rate flood insurance premiums. Local city officials usually maintain Elevation Certificate form can be downloaded from FEMA’s web site at www.fema.gov/nfip/elvinst.shtm�For more information of how Santa Clara County’s Water supply and what’s being done to solve the problem, visit the Satan Clara Valley Water District Web Site at www.valleywater.orgThe above information is from the fact sheet of the Santa Clara Valley Water District.