{"id":7881,"date":"2020-10-20T16:15:00","date_gmt":"2020-10-20T14:15:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.idro-elettrica.it\/esperto-risponde\/seawater-to-put-out-a-fire-yes-but-with-limitations\/"},"modified":"2026-07-01T09:46:15","modified_gmt":"2026-07-01T07:46:15","slug":"seawater-to-put-out-a-fire-yes-but-with-limitations","status":"publish","type":"esperto-risponde","link":"https:\/\/www.idro-elettrica.it\/en\/esperto-risponde\/seawater-to-put-out-a-fire-yes-but-with-limitations\/","title":{"rendered":"Seawater to put out a fire: yes, but with limitations"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Seawater to extinguish a fire: yes, it\u2019s possible, but only if clear limits are observed and specific measures are incorporated during the design phase of the fire suppression system.<\/em><\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In this \u201cEngineering Insights\u201d column, we address a question that comes up frequently, especially in areas where fresh water is not readily available: Can seawater (or brackish water) be used as a fire-suppression fluid? The answer is yes, but not \u201cdirectly\u201d or indiscriminately: specific operating conditions and design considerations are required. <\/p>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-rank-math-toc-block\" id=\"rank-math-toc\"><h2>Table of Contents<\/h2><nav><ul><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#acqua-di-mare-per-spegnere-un-incendio-cosa-consente-la-uni-en-12845\">Seawater for Firefighting: What Does UNI EN 12845 Allow?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#quali-limiti-pone-lutilizzo-di-acqua-salata-o-salmastra\">What are the limitations of using saltwater or brackish water?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#perche-la-rete-antincendio-deve-essere-caricata-esclusivamente-con-acqua-dolce\">Why the fire suppression system must be filled exclusively with fresh water<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#implicazioni-progettuali-cosa-prevedere-nellalimentazione-idrica\">Design Implications: What to Consider in the Water Supply System<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#sistema-di-stoccaggio-ausiliario-di-acqua-dolce-prove-e-ricircolo\">Auxiliary Fresh Water Storage System (Testing and Recirculation)<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#sistema-di-lavaggio-con-acqua-dolce-tubazioni-e-pompe\">Freshwater Flushing System (Pipes and Pumps)<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#cosa-si-rischia-senza-queste-misure-depositi-e-corrosione\">What are the risks without these measures: deposits and corrosion<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#conclusione\">Conclusion<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n<h2 id=\"acqua-di-mare-per-spegnere-un-incendio-cosa-consente-la-uni-en-12845\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Seawater for Firefighting: What Does UNI EN 12845 Allow?<\/h2>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">UNI EN 12845 (section 8.1.2) <strong>permits the use of saltwater or brackish water<\/strong>. This clarification is important because, in certain situations, the available water may not be fresh. <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That said, the approach outlined in the rules does not mean that \u201cany water will do\u201d: the use of saltwater or brackish water is permitted only <strong>within certain limits<\/strong> and under conditions that protect the system.<\/p>\n\n<h2 id=\"quali-limiti-pone-lutilizzo-di-acqua-salata-o-salmastra\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">What are the limitations of using saltwater or brackish water?<\/h2>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The key issue is not just whether saltwater or brackish water can be used, but <strong>how<\/strong> it is used and <strong>what<\/strong> measures must be taken to prevent adverse effects on the system.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In particular, it is emphasized that the use of brackish water imposes operational constraints and requires that the system be managed in such a way as to prevent saltwater or brackish water from remaining in the system on a permanent basis.<\/p>\n\n<h2 id=\"perche-la-rete-antincendio-deve-essere-caricata-esclusivamente-con-acqua-dolce\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why the fire suppression system must be filled exclusively with fresh water<\/h2>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The rules clearly state that the <strong>fire suppression system must be filled exclusively with fresh water<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In practice, even though the water supply system may involve the use of saltwater or brackish water, the standard operating condition for the network is that it normally remains filled with fresh water. This principle guides the entire design of the water supply system and the related testing and maintenance procedures. <\/p>\n\n<h2 id=\"implicazioni-progettuali-cosa-prevedere-nellalimentazione-idrica\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Design Implications: What to Consider in the Water Supply System<\/h2>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If the option of \u201cusing seawater to extinguish a fire\u201d is to be made feasible, the practical implication is that dedicated components must be included as early as the water supply design phase.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In particular, solutions should be developed that allow for:<\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>to manage the <strong>tests<\/strong> without compromising the network;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>to ensure that, following any flow of brackish water, it is possible <strong>to restore<\/strong> the required conditions (the system filled with fresh water).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<h2 id=\"sistema-di-stoccaggio-ausiliario-di-acqua-dolce-prove-e-ricircolo\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Auxiliary Fresh Water Storage System (Testing and Recirculation)<\/h2>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One of the first elements to be planned is <strong>an auxiliary freshwater storage system<\/strong>, which will allow for:<\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>draw in<\/strong> fresh water;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Recirculate<\/strong> the flow rate during testing.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This point is essential because the tests must be able to be performed without causing unwanted brackish water to remain in the system, while ensuring that the system\u2019s operation remains consistent with the requirement that the system be filled with fresh water.<\/p>\n\n<h2 id=\"sistema-di-lavaggio-con-acqua-dolce-tubazioni-e-pompe\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Freshwater Flushing System (Pipes and Pumps)<\/h2>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The second key element is <strong>a freshwater washing system<\/strong> that allows for the <strong>complete removal of<\/strong> brackish water, should any have been introduced.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Removal must be possible:<\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>from <strong>all pipes<\/strong> (both <strong>Inlet<\/strong> and <strong>Outlet lines<\/strong>);<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>from the <strong>pumps<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This requirement is not an \u201cextra\u201d: it is the measure that allows the system to be restored to proper operating conditions after any use of brackish water.<\/p>\n\n<h2 id=\"cosa-si-rischia-senza-queste-misure-depositi-e-corrosione\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">What are the risks without these measures: deposits and corrosion<\/h2>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Without the elements described above (auxiliary freshwater storage and freshwater flushing), <strong>the water supply and water system would be at risk of serious damage<\/strong> due to:<\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>deposits<\/strong>;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>corrosion<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In other words: the technical feasibility of using seawater to extinguish a fire goes beyond simply \u201cit can be done\u201d; it depends on the presence of systems that prevent harmful consequences for the facility.<\/p>\n\n<h2 id=\"conclusione\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Seawater for fire suppression: UNI EN 12845 (8.1.2) permits this, but the fire suppression system must be <strong>filled exclusively with fresh water<\/strong>, and the design must include <strong>auxiliary storage<\/strong> and <strong>a complete flushing system<\/strong> to handle testing and any passage of brackish water, thereby reducing the risk of deposits and corrosion.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Seawater to extinguish a fire: yes, it\u2019s possible, but only if clear limits are observed and specific measures are incorporated during the design phase of the fire suppression system. In [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":7883,"parent":0,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_angie_page":false,"footnotes":"","_members_access_role":[],"_members_access_error":""},"tags":[598,602,603,606,601,604,600,599,597,549,646,605],"class_list":["post-7881","esperto-risponde","type-esperto-risponde","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-brackish-water","tag-corrosion","tag-deposits","tag-fire-protection-design","tag-fire-protection-net","tag-fire-protection-system-tests","tag-firefighting","tag-saltwater","tag-seawater","tag-uni-en-12845","tag-water-supply-2","tag-water-system-flushing"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.idro-elettrica.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/esperto-risponde\/7881","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.idro-elettrica.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/esperto-risponde"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.idro-elettrica.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/esperto-risponde"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.idro-elettrica.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/esperto-risponde\/7881\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.idro-elettrica.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7883"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.idro-elettrica.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7881"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.idro-elettrica.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7881"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}