Residential Sprinkler Systems and water meters

[kurnal]

Please can anybody help with this one?

BS9251 figures of typical installations are clear that supplies to sprinkler systems will not be metered.

The Water Act 2003 (IIRC) is clear that no charge shall be made for water supplies for firefighting, training and testing of fire fighting equipment.

The National sprinkler water supply protocol adopted in 2004 reinforces this.Heres a link.

http://www.water.org.uk/home/policy/positions-old/fire-sprinkler-systems/0guidelines-for-the-supply-of-water-to-fire-sprinkler.pdf

However I am working on a new residential sprinkler installation in Essex.  E&S Water are insisting that the water supply to the sprinkler system must be metered. Their policy and risk assessment says so too. Heres a link to it on their website.

http://www.eswater.co.uk/SD0016-1-Requiements_for_Supplies_to_Fire_Fighting_Systems.pdf


Any views on this please?

[jokar]

I have read both documents and it is clear that whilst a check meter should be fitted there should be no charges made for the supply of water for firefighting purposes. If it is the case that people my have to pay for this supply then I can see the Government strategy taking a downward hit quite quickly.

[afterburner]

Read both documents and noted this phrase (about charging) in the second: -
Allowances may be made for Extinguishing Fires and other Emergency use, for use by the Fire Authority and for pre-notified Training and Testing.
The worrying thing here is the water undertaking seemingly taking the right to charge or not charge as they, the water undertaking, decide. It seems like a 'reserved position' and only would be applied in favour of the F&RS. The devil (as always) is in the small print and because the possibility of charging exists it is likelyto be applied.
Is it possible to shop around for water supplies like gas and electricity? 

[Galeon]

What guarantee that you have pressure at all times , when demand is heavy during the summer , I am assuming this type of system is direct feed .

[John Webb]

Presumably with just about every Water Company pushing for installing meters to charge on a "What's actually used" basis they are concerned that someone might tap into a non-metered sprinkler system to get 'free' water, hence the insertion of a check meter in the sprinkler supply.

Would the contract with customers with residential sprinkler systems clearly state exactly what volume of water usage the company would tolerate for testing purposes?

[kurnal]

Thanks to all. My main concern was not over the charging implications but more with the loss of head and possible obsrction to flow, that could make all the difference between the need for a pump or otherwise. On reflection even though the flow tests indicate that a pump is not required, as no supplier will guarantee more than 1.5Bar then it would be wise to include a pump in the spec and a flow controlled bypass for the pump.

I have since been informed that the water meters that are designed for higher flow rates on large bore pipes offer little resistance to flow so a larger diameter feed pipe with a larger meter may be the way forward. ( accuracy of the readings may be questionable though)