More water fire sprinklers needed… says MP | Gisela Stuart Labour MP for Birmingham Edgbaston

More water fire sprinklers needed… says MP // February 23rd, 2010 // Constituency News

Evidence suggests that where fire sprinkler systems have been fitted, fire deaths have been almost eliminated and property damage reduced by over 80%, with a considerable reduction in the volume of water taken from service mains.

Unfortunately, there is a key barrier to the installation of domestic automatic fire sprinkler systems.

The Water Industry Act 1991 (as amended) does not allow for water used in domestic automatic fire sprinkler systems to be accommodated within the definition of ‘water taken for the purposes of fighting fires via a service pipe’. Therefore the only categorisation of such supplies is, by default, ‘water for non-domestic purposes’. The problem with this is that water for this category of use carries with it a lesser priority to the use for domestic purposes and, as a result, it is possible that the water supply for such sprinkler systems can be arbitrarily withdrawn.

Gisela Stuart has written in support of the request for an amendment of Section 57 of the Water Industry Act to include fixed fire fighting installations within the definition of fire fighting water. The Act forms part of the Flood and Water Management Bill.

Gisela said: “It is important that resident’s are allowed to make an informed choice on improving their family’s safety. The decision in this case needs to be based on the reliability of the water supply to feed the sprinkler system. I have written to the Minister with responsibility at DEFRA to add my support to the request for an amendment of this Bill.”