Fire Water Risk Assessments

The greatest environmental damage caused by fire is often created by the water used to fight it rather than the actual fire itself.

Water is the most widely used substance for extinguishing fires, as it is usually readily available. Whilst the water alone is non-hazardous and does not pose an environmental threat, it can become contaminated with the materials and chemicals stored on-site, firefighting foam, or combustion by-products. Whilst some water will undoubtedly evaporate, excess water will often be released into the ground or local drainage networks – including watercourses – and can lead to a Major Accident in the environment.

Engaging a flood risk and environmental consultant can help you to meet the required regulations and avoid potential enforcement action. With over a decade’s experience, we are highly experienced in this field and can create a fire water management plan that works for your site.

Fires not only threaten property and human life but also have significant environmental impacts. A major concern is the runoff of fire water, which occurs when water used to extinguish fires picks up onsite contaminants or combustion byproducts. Some of this water evaporates, some seeps into the ground, and the excess flows away as runoff.

Fire water runoff can carry toxic chemicals that harm soil, drinking water, and aquatic life. It may enter the environment through absorption into the ground, draining into various water systems, or directly flowing into bodies of water, thereby polluting them and possibly affecting public health.

Moreover, having well-documented policies and emergency plans can greatly reduce potential damage. This includes creating drainage plans and storing them in accessible BIM (Building Information Modeling) software. For sites with higher risks, such as those under the Control of Major Accident Hazards (COMAH) regulations, more detailed plans are mandatory.

To prevent pollution from fire water, containment methods like shut-off valves, bunds, lagoons, or underground tanks can be employed. Even simple measures like drain covers or spill kits can be effective, but only if suitably designed.

Whilst robust planning and precautions can reduce risks, they do not remove those risks entirely. The resulting pollution from fire water can cause significant long-term environmental harm, particularly if groundwater becomes contaminated. Fire water can carry contaminants over a long distance, potentially significantly expanding the impacted area.

Notwithstanding a company’s regulatory obligations and noting that in the vast majority of instances, the ‘polluter pays’, the expectations of Corporate Social Responsibility alone make it good practice to demonstrate exemplary environmental compliance. The ‘polluter pays’ principle underpins most of the regulation of pollution affecting land, water and air.