Fire water containment

Facilities subject to specific environmental protection legislation (ICPEs) must implement a strategy for the temporary containment of fire water (from sprinklers and the fire service’s appliances).

This containment strategy may take the form of:

• Retention barriers.
• Retention basins.

The main function of retention basins is to regulate the intakes of water from seasonal hydrological variations, and to treat the water loaded with pollutants and effluents, to avoid contaminating the soil and water supplies.

Retention barriers are used to contain fire water temporarily inside a building or a room before discharging for subsequent treatment. The barrier differs from an anti-flood system by the fact that it is quicker to activate (suitable for emergency situations such as a fire) and that it is made of heat-resistant materials. Some barriers are removable, while others are fixed, collapsible barriers with a pivot or guillotine system. Some models can be semi-automated.