Secondary Fire Water Source On-Site?

[mcodehead]

I'm looking at a commercial mixed use development with about 16 buildings on the campus. Most are 4 stories, 5 max. The Fire Protection system is a site/campus wide system with a cistern, 2 fire pumps, Fire Mains and Hydrants which supply the fire sprinklers and risers to most of the buildings. The proposal is to build a couple of 10 story high-rise buildings on this development. As this is a seismic area, the code requires a secondary source of fire supply on-site. The designer is proposing to add another cistern and fire pump to feed the campus wide system from a second , remote location; thus providing the secondary supply of water for fire protection system.

First, what does on-site supply mean in the IBC and IFC?
How far away from a specific building can the secondary source be?
Can multiple buildings (i.e. on the same block, lot) be fed from the same two(2) fire water sources?
Has anyone dealt with a commercial campus fire protection system; similar to a small city or government hub?
Does the second source of water need to be actually in or on the building?

 

[TheCommish]

NFPA has a number of standards for private water mains, storage tanks, and pump systems

 

[cda]

Welcome

For room and board, and one way ticket, I would be glad to come advise you.


You need a Fire Protection Engineer, that has done similar projects.

The money spent will save you money, time and headaches

 

[cda]

Once you go high rise you are in a different code realm

As far as distance to supply, as long as it can hit fire flow needed, should not be a problem.

 

[cda]

I try to avoid high rises,

But appears water has to be at the high rise

http://media.iccsafe.org/news/eNews/2014v11n9/2012_ibc_sigchanges_p134.pdf