Source: Fire Protection Association

Fire Suppression Water Recycling Campaign Launched

A specialist UK provider in the design and maintenance of active fire suppression systems has launched a campaign to help businesses recycle and repurpose water used for necessary fire testing.

Fire suppression systems are recognised as being the most effective way to control fire and help prevent its spread, with fire safety regulations specifying that businesses test their fire suppression systems every week to ensure their effectiveness. As a result, businesses carrying out vital testing on their fire suppression systems need to use billions of litres of drinking water each year.



At present, there is no requirement to capture or repurpose this water, and in an effort to improve sustainability, Alpine Fire has partnered with the London School of Architecture (LSA), whose students are working on a project to design a better system that will capture this water and allow its sustainable reuse.

As Alpine Fire CEO Steven Nanda explains, making vital fire testing measures more sustainable is a key priority: “Water usage in the UK’s fire suppression systems has been overlooked so far, and our customers are under pressure to address every aspect of their sustainability. We are committed to leading the campaign for change.”

Technical Director for the FPA, George Edwardes responded to the initiative, saying: “The testing of fire suppression systems is a vital element of life safety – we are already aware of the impact of failing to conduct these critical tests on a regular basis. Fire safety should however also be sustainable wherever possible, and we welcome this initiative to improve the effectiveness of recycling water.”

The campaign has already engaged with former DEFRA Secretary George Eustice MP, BAFSA, and is working with DEFRA to explore how changes can be addressed.

“We are hugely encouraged by our engagement with DEFRA and feel confident that together we can work towards a change in regulation for new builds as well as retrofitting existing buildings,” Steven adds.

Commenting on the campaign, George Eustice noted that with water scarcity being a real and live issue in the UK, this initiative will help bolster water reuse. Neal Shasore, CEO of LSA added: “We are delighted to be part of this worthwhile sustainability initiative and are already inspired by the work our students have produced in response to this challenge.”

In addition, and by way of offsetting the millions of litres of water that they use each year, Alpine Fire has embarked on a multi-year programme of dam restoration with the Lake District National Park. The first project will see the dam at Throng Moss Tarn restored, a critical haven for wildlife and an important reserve of water for use against wildfires in the area.

Gavin Capstick of the Lake District National Park said: “Water scarcity is a very real issue for the UK’s National Parks, and as England’s biggest park, the Lake District sees the effects more than most. We are delighted to be working with Alpine Fire to restore Throng Moss Tarn for wildlife and as a strategic water reserve.”