Automatic Fire Sprinkler Systems and Backflow-Where Are We and What Should We Do?
During the past decade, an ongoing debate over life safety benefits versus water regulations has developed between the fire protection community and the local water authorities.
Issue: 7/04
During the past decade, an ongoing debate has developed between the fire protection community and the local water authorities. While the debate continues, many areas of agreement and compromise have developed. The fire protection community has begun to understand the very strict local, state and federal regulations that all water authorities must comply with. The water authorities have long understood the life safety and property protection benefits of automatic fire sprinklers. Now, they have begun to understand the real cross-connection risks associated with each type of fire sprinkler systems and the impact automatic fire sprinkler systems can have in reducing the demand and infrastructure associated with providing fire protection water. In fairness, the fire protection community has also had to understand and accept the same real risks associated with each type of fire sprinkler system, in order to fully understand the water authority's concerns. Here is a brief summary of both of these concerns.