Fire sprinklered buildings vs. unsprinklered buildings: What is the impact on community water consumption?

With the growing adoption of residential sprinkler ordinances in communities across the country, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) commissioned a study to assess the community impacts of water consumption in sprinklered and unsprinklered properties.

The study, Fire Flow Water Consumption in Sprinklered and Unsprinklered Buildings: An Assessment of Community Impacts, analyzes the estimated total fire protection water used in various building types, with and without fire sprinkler protection. It estimates the amount of water expected to be used per year for commissioning, inspection, testing and maintenance (CITM) of buildings with sprinkler systems.

The report reveals that the calculated water used during a fire when a building is protected by a fire sprinkler system is less than that of an unsprinklered building.

The findings conclude that an owner of an unsprinklered building receives the full benefit of unlimited water through the public water system in a fire scenario without an increased cost, while the owner of a sprinklered building pays for the water used.

Read the study report.