This self-paced online course covers the components that determine water supply requirements for fire suppression systems and the adequacy of the existing water supply.

Upon completion you should be able to:

• Explain how much water is required for fire control in a structure.
• Explain the difference between public and private water supply systems.
• Explain the three ways a municipal water supply can be operated.
• List the factors that directly affect the reliability of a water supply system.
• List the advantages and disadvantages of the following:
  • gravity tank
  • cistern
  • fire pump taking suction from an above-ground suction tank
• Describe how water can be reserved for fire protection purposes in a gravity tank.
• Explain the methods of backflow prevention used in private connections to municipal water supply systems.
• List the reasons that a secondary or redundant water supply may be required.

Who Will Benefit

Anyone whose job involves designing, reviewing, evaluating or installing fire protection systems, including: designers, installers, engineers, electrical contractors, technicians, project managers, fire marshals, and architects.

Course Summary

• Water supplies for automatic fire protection systems are many and varied. They can be:
  • a connection to a municipal system
  • some form of private captive storage, either pressurized or static
  • a combination of a municipal connection and private supplies
• Regardless of the arrangement, the water supply requirements of the system under consideration must be met in terms of flow and flowing pressure.
• Municipal systems can be arranged to use a static source, such as a river or large supply reservoir located either in the municipality or even some distance away.
• Municipal systems may also use multiple pumps, depending on the desired capacity of the system, or may use elevated tanks that will be part of the system.
• Private supplies mirror municipal systems, but on a much smaller, and sometimes, individual basis.