Fire water
refers to water that has been used in fire fighting and
requires disposal.
In many cases it is a highly polluting material and requires
special care in its disposal
In many fire fighting situations, large
quantities of water remain after the fire has been
extinguished. The water contains materials present in the
building and also contains dissolved and particulate
materials from combustion processes and materials generated
through quenching. Fire water can be particularly polluting
when the building or site being extinguished itself contains
potentially polluting materials such as pesticides, organic
and inorganic chemical reagents, fertilizers, etc. Certain
types of premises including farms and the chemical industry
pose special risks because of the types of materials
present. Premises containing quantities of plastics can also
cause severe problems because of the taste and o dour
imparted to the fire water. Releasing contaminated fire
water into a river or other water source subsequently used
to supply drinking water may render the untreated water
supply unsuitable for drinking or food preparation.
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