Connecting a Sink to Fire Water Line

[ME27272727]

I'm working on a small 500 SF pump station on an airport, and the owner wants a service sink the building. The civil engineers want to tap into the fire hydrant loop just outside the building for the sink and label everything non-potable.

I've never seen this done before, but I can't find anything in the code the strictly prohibits it. It just sounds like a bad idea. Any input would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

[LCREP]

How is this different then every street in America with a fire hydrant and public water supply tied together? Now if that fire line is connected to a fire pump, operating the sink may turn on the fire pump depending on how close the sink is to the fire pump and flow of the sink.

 

[PEDARRIN2]

Just calling (labeling) it as non potable does not make it so.

Typically, in non residential applications, a reduced pressure zone (RPZ) will be required to protect the municipal source from anything. Typically, a second backflow preventer (usually another RPZ) would be downstream to use the water as non potable. In this case, since there are no other water uses, only one RPZ would likely be required.

Service sinks (and hose bibs) are a historic (and notorious) culprit for back siphonage and or backflow contaminating municipal services.

In the IPC areas, 602.2 indicates that potable water shall be supplied to all plumbing fixtures.

 

[MGXFP]

Also consider the possibility of needing a water meter, backflow preventer and pressure reducing valve. If it is a fire loop it might have high enough pressure to blow up your plumbing devices.

as LCREP said if the line is a dedicated fire loop you might be in for a surprise if you plumb this sink.

 

[77JQX]

In addition to the backflow issue, how does the water purveyor feel about the proposed tap? The utility I work for might consider the tap a theft of service. We generally handle metering and billing of fire loops different than ordinary domestic taps.