NFPA 22 (2003) - RESERVOIR

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NFPA22
Standardfor
WaterTanksforPrivateFireProtection
2003Edition
Copyright©2003,NationalFireProtectionAssociation,AllRightsReserved
ThiseditionofNFPA22,StandardforWaterTanksforPrivateFireProtection,was
preparedbytheTechnicalCommitteeonWaterTanksandactedonbyNFPAatits
NovemberAssociationTechnicalMeetingheldNovember16–20,2002,inAtlanta,GA.It
wasissuedbytheStandardsCouncilonJanuary17,2003,withaneffectivedateofFebruary
6,2003,andsupersedesallpreviouseditions.
ThiseditionofNFPA22wasapprovedasanAmericanNationalStandardonJanuary17,
2003.
OriginandDevelopmentofNFPA22
In1909,theNFPACommitteeonGravityTanksdevelopedtheStandardonGravityTanks.
Amendmentswereconsideredin1912and1913,andthestandardwasadoptedin1914.
Revisedoramendededitionswereadoptedin1915,1917,1918,1919,1922,1926,1928,
1930,1931,1933,1936,1941,1949,and1950.
ThenameofthecommitteewaschangedtotheCommitteeonWaterTanksandits
recommendationsresultedinchangesadoptedin1957,1958,1962,1965,1967,1970,1971,
1974,1976,1978,1981,and1987.
Tanksotherthangravitytanks(which,atthattime,includedconcretereservoirs)andvalve
pitswerefirstcoveredin1913,pressuretanks(formerlycoveredby StandardsforSprinkler
Systems)werecoveredin1915,andtankheatingwascoveredin1922.Thestandardtitlehas
beenperiodicallyamendedtoreflecttheexpandedscopeofthestandard.
The1993editionprovidednew,environmentallyfriendlyrequirementsfortankcoating
systems.Twonewchapterswereincludedtocoverthedesignanderectionofboltedsteel
tanksandconcretetanks.Informationonfiberglasstanksalsowasincluded.Thesechanges,
alongwithothereditorialchanges,reflectedthecurrentinformationforwaterstoragetank
design.
The1996editionofNFPA22consolidatedtankcareandmaintenanceinformationwithina
singlechapter.Furtherrevisionsaddressedthecorrosionresistanceofcertaintank

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components,accessintotanks,themonitoringofinternalconditions,andthestructural
stressestowhichtanksaresubjected.ThefiguresinAppendixBwererevisedtoreflect
currentpractices.Editorialchangeswerealsomade.
The1998editionfurtheraddressedenvironmentalissues.Allinspection,testing,and
maintenancerequirementswereremovedandaddedtotheappropriatechapterofthe1998
editionofNFPA25,StandardfortheInspection,Testing,andMaintenanceofWaterBased
FireProtectionSystems.
The2003editionhasbeenchangedtoconformtotheNFPA ManualofStyle,2000edition.
Referencedpublicationshavebeenupdated.
TechnicalCommitteeonWaterTanks
BruceA.Edwards,Chair
LMGPropertyEngineering,MA[I]
Rep.AllianceofAmericanInsurers
RobertM.Gagnon,Secretary
GagnonEngineering,MD[SE]
PhillipBrown,AmericanFireSprinklerAssociation,Inc.,TX[IM]
JohnR.Conrady,ConradyConsultantServices,FL[U]
RichardJ.Davis,FMGlobal,MA[I]
Rep.FMGlobal/FMResearch
DouglasW.Fisher,HarringtonGroup,Inc.,GA[SE]
JackHillman,HallWoolfordTankCompany,Inc.,PA[M]
DavidHochhauser,IsseksBrothersIncorporated,NY[IM]
JohnD.Jensen,FireProtectionConsultants,ID[SE]
HermanJ.Johnston,PittsburgTank&TowerCompanyInc.,KY[M]
NicholasA.Legatos,PreloadIncorporated,NY[M]
Rep.AmericanConcreteInstitute
KeithMcGuire,ColombianTecTank,KS[M]
JohnM.Mitchard,NuclearServiceOrganization,DE[I]
TylerMosman,CCGFacilitiesIntegration,Inc.,MD[SE]

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BillMow,Amfuel,AL[M]
AndrewRosenwach,RosenwachTankCompany,Inc.,NY[M]
Rep.NationalWoodTankInstitute
FrankJ.Spitz,Jr.,SpitzFireProtectionDesignCompany,PA[SE]
GregoryR.“Chip”Stein,TankIndustryConsultants,IN[SE]
WilliamL.Testa,GrinnellFireProtectionSystemsCo./Tyco,RI[IM]
Rep.NationalFireSprinklerAssociation
Alternates
ChristianM.Dahms,NuclearServiceOrganization(NSO),DE[I]
(Alt.toJ.M.Mitchard)
RolandJ.Huggins,AmericanFireSprinklerAssociation,Inc.,TX[IM]
(Alt.toP.Brown)
KennethE.Isman,NationalFireSprinklerAssociation,NY[IM]
(Alt.toW.L.Testa)
ToddM.Kidd,LMGPropertyEngineering,NC[I]
(Alt.toB.A.Edwards)
JohnJ.Sweeney,SmithEngineeredStorageProductsCo.,IL[M]
(Alt.toK.McGuire)
DavidR.Hague, NFPAStaffLiaison
CommitteeScope:ThisCommitteeshallhaveprimaryresponsibilityfordocumentsonthe
design,construction,installation,andmaintenanceoftanksandaccessoryequipment
supplyingwaterforfireextinguishment,includinggravityandpressuretanks,towersand
foundations,pipeconnectionsandfittings,valveenclosuresandfrostprotection,andtank
heatingequipment.
ThislistrepresentsthemembershipatthetimetheCommitteewasballotedonthefinaltext
ofthisedition.Sincethattime,changesinthemembershipmayhaveoccurred.Akeyto
classificationsisfoundatthebackofthedocument.
NOTE:Membershiponacommitteeshallnotinandofitselfconstituteanendorsementof
theAssociationoranydocumentdevelopedbythecommitteeonwhichthememberserves.
NFPA22
Standardfor
WaterTanksforPrivateFireProtection
2003Edition

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NOTICE:Anasterisk(*)followingthenumberorletterdesignatingaparagraphindicates
thatexplanatorymaterialontheparagraphcanbefoundinAnnexA.
Changesotherthaneditorialareindicatedbyaverticalrulebesidetheparagraph,table,or
figureinwhichthechangeoccurred.Theserulesareincludedasanaidtotheuserin
identifyingchangesfromthepreviousedition.Whereoneormorecompleteparagraphshave
beendeleted,thedeletionisindicatedbyabullet(•)betweentheparagraphsthatremain.
InformationonreferencedpublicationscanbefoundinChapter2andAnnexC.
Chapter1Introduction
1.1Scope.
Thisstandardprovidestheminimumrequirementsforthedesign,construction,installation,
andmaintenanceoftanksandaccessoryequipmentthatsupplywaterforprivatefire
protection,includingthefollowing:
(1) Gravitytanks,suctiontanks,pressuretanks,andembankmentsupportedcoated
fabricsuctiontanks
(2) Towers
(3) Foundations
(4) Pipeconnectionsandfittings
(5) Valveenclosures
(6) Tankfilling
(7) Protectionagainstfreezing
1.2Purpose.
Thepurposeofthisstandardistoprovideabasisforthedesign,construction,operation,and
maintenanceofwatertanksforprivatefireprotection.Nothinginthisstandardshallprevent
theuseofsystems,methods,ordevicesthatareequivalentinquality,strength,fire
resistance,effectiveness,anddurabilitytothoseprescribedbythisstandard,provided
technicaldocumentationismadeavailabletotheauthorityhavingjurisdictionthat
demonstratesequivalency,andthesystem,method,ordeviceisappropriatefortheintended
purpose.
1.3Retroactivity.
Theprovisionsofthisstandardreflectaconsensusofwhatisnecessarytoprovidean
acceptabledegreeofprotectionfromthehazardsaddressedinthisstandardatthetimethe
standardwasissued.
1.3.1Unlessotherwisespecified,theprovisionsofthisstandardshallnotapplytofacilities,
equipment,structures,orinstallationsthatexistedorwereapprovedforconstructionor

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installationpriortotheeffectivedateofthestandard.Wherespecified,theprovisionsofthis
standardshallberetroactive.
1.3.2Inthosecaseswheretheauthorityhavingjurisdictiondeterminesthattheexisting
situationpresentsanunacceptabledegreeofrisk,theauthorityhavingjurisdictionshallbe
permittedtoapplyretroactivelyanyportionsofthisstandarddeemedappropriate.
1.3.3Theretroactiverequirementsofthisstandardshallbepermittedtobemodifiediftheir
applicationclearlywouldbeimpracticalinthejudgmentoftheauthorityhavingjurisdiction,
andonlywhereitisclearlyevidentthatareasonabledegreeof safetyisprovided.
1.4Equivalency.
Nothinginthisstandardisintendedtopreventtheuseofsystems,methods,ordevicesof
equivalentorsuperiorquality,strength,fireresistance,effectiveness,durability,andsafety
overthoseprescribedbythisstandard.
1.4.1Technicaldocumentationshallbesubmittedtotheauthorityhavingjurisdictionto
demonstrateequivalency.
1.4.2Thesystem,method,ordeviceshallbeapprovedfortheintendedpurposebythe
authorityhavingjurisdiction.
1.5TypesofTanks.
Thisstandardaddresseselevatedtanksontowersorbuildingstructures,waterstoragetanks
thatareatgradeorbelowgrade,andpressuretanks.
1.6Units.
1.6.1Metricunitsofmeasurementinthisstandardareinaccordancewiththemodernized
metricsystemknownastheInternationalSystemofUnits(SI).Thebarunit,whichisoutside
ofbutrecognizedbySI,iscommonlyusedininternationalfireprotection.Metricunitsand
theirconversionfactorsareshownin Table1.6.1.
Table1.6.1MetricUnitConversionFactors
NameofUnit UnitSymbol ConversionFactor
bar bar 1psi=0.0689bar
bar bar 1bar=10
5Pa
Note:Foradditionalconversionsandinformation,seeANSISI10,StandardforUseofthe
InternationalSystemofUnits(SI):TheModernMetricSystem.
1.6.2Ifavalueformeasurementinthisstandardisfollowedbyanequivalentvaluethatis
expressedinotherunits,thefirststatedvalueshallberegardedastherequirement.Agiven
equivalentvaluecouldbeapproximate.
1.6.3SIunitsinthisstandardhavebeenconvertedbymultiplyingthenumberofunitsbythe
conversionfactorandthenroundingtheresulttotheappropriatenumberofsignificantdigits.