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FC 403, Standard for Fire Sprinkler
Systems, November 1994 |
8. Water Supplies (See Appendix A)
8.1 Connections to Waterworks Systems
- When a municipal waterworks system is adequate with
respect to volume, pressure and reliability, the water
supply to the sprinkler system shall be provided with
one or more connections to the waterworks system.
- When a municipal waterworks system serves a building
classified as a high building in accordance with the NBC,
the water supply to the sprinkler system shall be provided
with two or more connections to the waterworks system.
- When a waterworks system is not available or is not
adequate to meet the water supply requirements, the water
supply shall consist of fire pumps and reservoirs, pressure
tanks, gravity tanks or combinations thereof as required
by the FC.
- Water supply mains shall not be installed under or
through a building unless specifically approved by the
FC.
- Where water supply mains for fire service pass through
a building, the main shall be provided with a water flow
detector and alarm. Control valves shall be provided where
the main enters the building.
- The length of water supply connection to the sprinkler
system underneath or through a building shall be as short
as possible to minimize the risk of damage.
- A meter shall not be installed in water supply connections
unless required by local by-laws. In such cases, it shall
be a listed fire service type.
- The number and size of water connections required shall
be as shown in Table 8.1 (a).
TABLE 8.1(a)
Size and Number of Water Supply Connections (See Appendix)
Gross Floor Area m 2 |
No. of Connections |
Size of Connections mm |
< 12,000 |
1 |
See Table 8.1(b) |
12,000 to 24,000 |
2 |
200 |
> 24,000 |
2 plus 1 loop |
200 |
- The maximum number of sprinkler system valves, total
area and fire hydrants supplied from a single water connection
shall not exceed that shown in Table 8.1 (b)
TABLE 8.1 (b)
Number of Sprinkler System Valves and
Fire Hydrants |
Size of Single Connection mm |
Scheduled System |
Designed Systemm |
Fire Hydrants |
100 |
Not permitted |
1 - 100 mm |
None |
150 |
1 - 150 mm or 2 - 100 mm |
2 - 150 mm |
None |
200 |
1 - 150 mm & 2 - 200 mm |
Any size or number of valves, up to 12 000 m2
gross floor area |
One |
- Domestic connections to sprinkler system water supplies,
shall be made from the underground piping upstream of
the sprinkler system check valve outside the building
except as permitted in (k) (See Appendix).
- Domestic connections to sprinkler system water supplies
may be made at the point of entry within the building
provided:
- it does not conflict with local bylaws,
- it is installed on the supply side of the sprinkler
system check valve,
- the piping is properly insulated against sweating
in the vicinity of the point of connection,
- the size of the domestic connection is not greater
than 25 mm from a 150 mm connection or 50 mm from a
200 mm connection (See Appendix), and
- control valves are installed on the domestic connections
and the sprinkler system connections to allow either
the domestic water or the fire protection water to be
shut off independently.
8.2 Connections to Standpipe and Hose Systems
- When a water supply serving both a complete sprinkler
system and a standpipe and hose system, it shall be of
sufficient capacity to meet the greater of that required
for the sprinkler system (including hose stream allowances)
or the standpipe and hose system.
- When a water supply serving both a partial sprinkler
system and a standpipe and hose system, it shall be of
sufficient capacity to meet the combined requirements
of both systems.
- Partial sprinkler systems consisting of 9 or less sprinklers
may be supplied from the standpipe and hose system, where
available, and controlled by a valve in an accessible
location. Where a standpipe system is not available, the
FC may permit a connection to the domestic water supply,
if of sufficient capacity.
8.3 Reservoirs
- The reservoir shall be of sufficient volume to meet
the water supply requirements for the sprinkler systems
and inside and outside hose allowances.
- The reservoir shall be subdivided into 2 compartments
of equal capacity with fire pumps arranged to take suction
from both compartments.
- Where the reservoir supplies water for other than the
fire protection systems, it shall be designed so that
the required volume of water for the fire protection systems
is reserved at all times.
8.4 Pressure Tanks
- Except as permitted in (b) and subject to the approval
by the FC, at least 2 pressure tanks of equivalent capacity
shall be provided as the water supply to a sprinkler system,
where:
- there is no adequate municipal water services, and
- normally it would be anticipated that a limited number
of sprinklers would operate and control a fire.
- A single pressure tank may be provided, where an alternative
water supply is available or subject to the approval by
the FC.
- The amount of available water from pressure tanks shall
be sufficient to supply the number of sprinklers that
would be anticipated to operate but not less than 25 000
L, except as permitted in (d).
- Pressure tanks of smaller capacity than those stipulated
in (c) may be permitted in the case of installations involving
less than 100 sprinklers and subject to the approval by
the FC.
- Pressure tanks shall be dedicated to supply sprinkler
systems.
- Pressure tanks shall be designed and installed in accordance
with NFPA Standard No. 22, "Water Tanks for Private Fire
Protection".
8.5 Gravity Tanks
- Gravity tanks shall be designed, installed and maintained
in accordance with NFPA 22, "Standard for Water Tanks
for Private Fire Protection".
- Where a gravity tank constitutes the sole or primary
water supply, it shall have a capacity to meet the designed
fire flow (including sprinkler, inside & outside hose
allowance) for at least 1 h.
8.6 Fire Pumps
- When fire pumps constitute the sole or primary water
supply for a sprinkler system, at least 2 fire pumps shall
be installed, each of which shall be capable of supplying
the water supply requirements, based upon 120 per cent
of its rated capacity.
- Except as permitted in (c), at least one fire pump
shall be driven by an internal combustion engine.
- When there is an approved emergency power supply capable
of operating either pump, both pumps may be electrically
driven and both pumps shall have connections to the emergency
power supply.
- Fire pumps shall be arranged to start automatically
in the event of the operation of the sprinkler system
or the lowering of the water pressure below a predetermined
level in the sprinkler system and remain in operation
until manually shut down, except as permitted in (e) and
(f).
- Fire pumps may be arranged to shut down automatically
by a low water level detection device subject to the approval
of the FC.
- In remote locations, where there may not be qualified
staff on duty to operate the fire pumps, the fire pumps
may be arranged to shut down automatically as per NFPA
20, "Standard for the Installation of Centrifugal Fire
Pumps". The specific approval of the FC shall be obtained
in all such cases.
- Pumps required to maintain operating pressures on water
supply systems shall be connected to an approved emergency
power supply to prevent unnecessary operations of the
fire pumps.
- Fire pumps shall be electrically interconnected with
the fire alarm system such that their operation is indicated
at the control unit or central alarm and control facility.
- Fire pumps shall be provided with means to check operation
under rated flow and overload conditions and, in the case
of automatic starting fire pumps, means to simulate automatic
starting.
- Fire pump and controllers shall be listed or of a type
approved for fire service use (See Appendix).
- Fire pumps and controllers shall be designed and installed
in accordance with the requirements of NFPA 20, "Standard
for the Installation of Centrifugal Fire Pumps".
8.7 Booster Pumps
- When a municipal water works system is of sufficient
volume but of insufficient pressure to meet the requirements
of a sprinkler system, 2 booster pumps shall be provided,
each of which shall be of sufficient capacity to meet
the water supply requirements of the sprinkler system,
except as permitted in (b).
- When the municipal waterworks system supplies both
a sprinkler system and a standpipe and hose system, a
single booster pump shall be permitted when:
- the municipal water supply is of sufficient capacity
to meet the sprinkler system flow requirements over
the entire area of application in the case of a hydraulically
designed system, or
- the municipal water supply is of sufficient capacity
to meet 50 per cent of the sprinkler system flow requirements
at the corresponding residual pressures, in the case
of a pipe schedule system.
- A single booster pump shall be either driven by an
internal combustion engine or by an electric motor connected
to an emergency power supply.
- When 2 booster pumps are required, at least one pump
shall be driven by an internal combustion engine except
as provided in (e).
- When there is an approved emergency power supply capable
of operating either pump, both booster pumps may be electrically
driven and both pumps shall have connections to the emergency
power supply.
- Booster pumps shall be arranged to start automatically
in the event of the operation of the sprinkler system
or the lowering of water pressure below a predetermined
level in the sprinkler system and remain in operation
until manually shut down, except as permitted in (g).
- In remote locations, where there may not be qualified
staff on duty to operate the booster pumps, the booster
pumps may be arranged to shut down automatically as per
NFPA 20, "Standard for the Installation of Centrifugal
Fire Pumps". The specific approval of the FC shall be
obtained In all such cases.
- Booster pumps may be arranged to shut down automatically,
when water flow is not detected in the water supply main
subject to the approval of the FC.
- Automatic jockey pumps shall be provided when there
are fluctuations in municipal water service pressures,
to prevent unnecessary operations of booster pumps.
- Booster pumps shall be electrically interconnected
with the fire alarm system such that their operation is
indicated at the control panel or central alarm and control
facility.
- Booster pumps shall not be permitted, when the residual
pressure on the municipal system would be reduced to less
than 135 kPa with the pumps operating at maximum capacity.
In such cases the water supply shall consist of the municipal
waterworks system in combination with a water supply as
stipulated in 8.1(c).
- Booster pumps shall be provided with means to check
operation under rated flow and overload conditions and
means to simulate automatic starting.
- Booster pumps and controllers, shall be listed, designed
and installed in accordance with the requirements of NFPA
20, "Standard for the Installation of Centrifugal Fire
Pumps".
8.8 Fire Department Pumper Connections
- Sprinkler systems shall be provided with at least 1
fire department connection, except as required in (b)
or as permitted in (d).
- Where 2 or more water supply connections are required,
the number of fire department connections shall correspond
with the required number of water supply connections.
- Fire department connections shall be so located that
the distance from a fire department connection to a hydrant
does not exceed 45 m.
- In areas where there is no organized fire department,
a fire department connection may not be required, subject
to the approval by the FC.
- Fire department connections shall be located so as
to permit ready connection to fire department pumper vehicles.
Clear access to the fire department connections shall
be maintained at all times.
- Where there is a possibility that access to the fire
department connection may be obstructed by vehicles or
other equipment, fire department lanes shall be designated
which shall be kept free of all other vehicles and equipment
at all times.
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