UK Fire Hydrant Regulations and Locations
All Community Fire and Rescue Services have fire hydrant rules and regulations. Legal requirements relate most to their access to firefighting dry riser appliances.
FIRE HYDRANT RULES: There are also legal requirements for fire hydrant location and fire hydrant flow rate in the United Kingdom.
Fire and Rescue Service Access to Facilities
Local communities and private dwellings must provide vehicular access to fire appliances. In most cases this includes water hydrants and dry risers.
Note: Failure to do so is against Building Regulations in the United Kingdom. It may put the lives of home and office occupiers at risk.
Access Routes and Hard Standings
- A vehicle access route may be a road or other route. But, it can also include any manhole covers that meet the standards.
- Access should be available to an elevation for high reach appliances. In this case, the natural access should not have overhead obstructions such as cables and branches. These can interfere with the use of ladders and firefighting equipment.
Domestic Dwellings
There should be vehicular access for a pumping appliance to within 45 meters of all points within the dwelling house. Every elevation to which vehicle access gets provided should have a suitable door. It should not be less than 750 mm wide and give access to the interior of the building.
Flats or Maisonettes
There should be vehicle access for a pumping appliance to blocks of flats or maisonettes to within 45 meters of all points within each dwelling.
Note: The access requirements for other buildings depends upon the total floor area and the height.
Follow UK Rules for 2019 Updates!
Firefighting Water Supplies
In the United Kingdom, the Local Government Association (LGA) and the Water UK National Guidance Document provides legal guidance. The image shows fire hydrant signs regulations for proximity and pipe diameter.
They provide the recommended fixture locations and minimum flow rates.
UK fire hydrant regulations also govern minimum distances from dwellings.
UK Fire Hydrant Locations and Flow Rates
Housing
- Minimum of 8 liters/sec (480 l/min) for detached or semidetached of not more than two floors.
- Up to 35 liters/sec (2100 l/min) for units of more than two floors.
- These flow rates can be from any single hydrant on the development.
Transportation
- Minimum of 25 liters/sec (1500 l/min) for lorry and coach parks, multi-storey car parks and service stations.
- This can be from any hydrant on the development or within a vehicular distance of 90 meters from the complex.
Industry (industrial estates)
The recommendation says any fire hydrant water supply infrastructure should provide mains network on the site. As a rule this should be at least 150 mm nominal diameter:
- Up to one hectare minimum of 20 l/sec (1200 l/min).
- One to two hectares minimum of 35 l/sec (2100 l/min).
- Two to three hectares minimum of 50 l/sec (3000 l/min).
- Over three hectares minimum of 75 l/sec (4500 l/min).
Note: High risk areas may require a greater flow rate of fire hydrant.
Shopping, Offices, Recreation, and Tourism
Minimum of 20 liters/sec (1200 l/min) to 75 liters/sec (4500 l/min) depending on the nature and extent of the development.
Education, Health, and Community Facilities
- Village halls - Minimum of 15 l/sec (900 l/min) through any single hydrant on the development or within a vehicular distance of 100 meters from the complex.
- Primary schools and single storey health centers - Minimum of 20 l/sec (1200l/min) through any single hydrant on the development or within a vehicular distance of 70 meters of the complex.
- Secondary schools, colleges, large health centers and community facilities - Minimum of 35 l/sec (2100 l/min) through any single hydrant on the development or within a vehicular distance of 70 meters from the complex.
Caravan Sites (chalets)
Dry riser regulations state that a fire hydrant should be located at the entrance to the site and if necessary, at 300 meter intervals. The hydrant should provide a minimum of 8 liters/sec (480 l/min).
If no piped water supply is available or where there is insufficient pressure or flow in the water main an alternative source must be provided.
UK Fire Hydrant Regulations on Building Size
Current Building Regulations require an adequate water supply for firefighting. A reasonable water supply must be available in circumstances where the building has a compartment of 280 square meters (or more) in area and there is no existing fire hydrant within 100 meters.
Failure to comply with the UK fire hydrant regulations on fire hydrant placement may prevent the applicant from obtaining a final certificate for building regulations.
Acceptable Open Water Supplies
Where no piped water supply is available, or there is insufficient pressure and flow in the water main, an alternative arrangement may be proposed as an acceptable open water supply.
This may get used for firefighting operations as the alternative water supply and example include:
- A spring, river, pond or canal which is capable of storing or providing at least 45,000 liters of water at all times of the year.
- A charged static tank of at least 45,000 liters capacity.
Note: Fire hydrants legislation states suitable access, space and hard standing for a pumping appliance must be provided for all acceptable open water supplies.
Fire Hydrant Requirements and Dry Riser Regulations in the United Kingdom