Thread: Potable Water and Fire Sprinkler Share Same Service Line

I saw this in a 10 year old townhome yesterday and it struck me as odd. The house has a sprinkler system that shares the same service entrance line as the potable water system. The main shut-off is located ahead of the tee where the lines split. My concern is that if the water supply to the house is shut-off at the main, the sprinkler system is rendered inoperable as well (I think).

Every time I see a sprinkler system, it appears to have it's own dedicated line coming into the house.

Thoughts?

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Originally Posted by Nick Ostrowski

I saw this in a 10 year old townhome yesterday and it struck me as odd. The house has a sprinkler system that shares the same service entrance line as the potable water system. The main shut-off is located ahead of the tee where the lines split. My concern is that if the water supply to the house is shut-off at the main, the sprinkler system is rendered inoperable as well (I think).

Every time I see a sprinkler system, it appears to have it's own dedicated line coming into the house.

Thoughts?

That is pretty much what I see in residential construction. I have a few areas around me that require homes over 2000sf to have sprinklers. All of them have only on meter (unless a 2nd one has been installed for the lawn irrigation system) and it is for the home and sprinkler system.

Been having problems with this board with it not properly loading pages, now when I went to edit this post it did not let me edit it, so I posted the complete post again, now it won't let me delete this post. Also says page error at the bottom.

Originally Posted by Nick Ostrowski

The house has a sprinkler system that shares the same service entrance line as the potable water system. The main shut-off is located ahead of the tee where the lines split. My concern is that if the water supply to the house is shut-off at the main, the sprinkler system is rendered inoperable as well (I think).

There should be a shut off valve for each separate system, one for the domestic potable water and one for the fire sprinkler system.

The shut off for the fire sprinkler system should be tagged with a 'Do Not Shut Off' tag which states that the shut off valve is for servicing the fire sprinkler ONLY and is to be left on at all other times. Shutting the fire sprinkler system shut off valve off means the structure is no longer suitable for occupancy as one of the conditions for occupancy is that very same sprinkler system.

- R110.5 Revocation. The building official shall, in writing, suspend or revoke a certificate of occupancy issued under the provisions of this code wherever the certificate is issued in error, or on the basis of incorrect information supplied, or where it is determined that the building or structure or portion thereof is in violation of any ordinance or regulation or any of the provisions of this code.

I don't know if you missed this, but does that sprinkler riser even have a check valve on it? I might not be able to see it from the picture because the flow switch is blocking a view of it.

Around here that is a pretty common install having the water service split like that before the potable water meter. Only thing missing is a Double Check Detector Assembly before the flow sensor.