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Fire Protection Tanks

Engineered fire water storage tanks and NFPA 22 water storage tanks for hydrants, sprinklers, and fire pumps. Above ground and underground fire suppression tanks sized for your hazard and local authority having jurisdiction (AHJ).

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When Does a Site Need a Fire Protection Tank?

Most projects reach us for one of a few reasons: there are no fire hydrants nearby, the municipal main cannot deliver the flow or pressure your fire protection system requires, or plan review has flagged that your building needs a dedicated on-site fire water supply before it can be approved. Rural developments, campuses, industrial sites, and remote facilities all run into the same gap between what the local water grid provides and what fire code demands.

A fire protection tank closes that gap. It gives your sprinklers, fire pumps, hydrants, and standpipes a guaranteed volume of water, sized to your hazard and signed off by your authority having jurisdiction (AHJ), whether or not the municipal supply is available, adequate, or online during an emergency. If you are upgrading an undersized system, planning a new development ahead of hydrant coverage, or staging water for a wildland-urban interface property, the right tank is usually the most direct path to compliance.

For more information about fire protection tanks and their applications, view our Fire Protection Tanks Brochure.

What Is a Fire Protection Tank?

A fire protection storage tank is a dedicated reservoir that holds water specifically for firefighting, acting as a backup for a building’s fire protection system. Its main purpose is to provide a reliable, guaranteed supply of water when municipal water isn’t available, doesn’t have enough pressure or flow, or might fail during an emergency. This stored water supply feeds fire sprinklers, fire pumps, hydrants, and hose reels in case of emergency.

Fire protection tanks can be made from bolted or welded steel, corrugated steel, fiberglass, concrete, and plastics. Depending on site constraints like space, climate, and soil conditions, they can be installed above ground or underground as a fire protection cistern.

For many facilities, a dedicated fire water storage tank or fire suppression tank is the most straightforward way to meet fire code, support insurance requirements, and ensure there is enough water on site during a water tank fire or other emergency situation.

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Built with NFPA Compliance in Mind

NFPA 22 is the standard governing the design and installation of water storage tanks for fire protection. While the NFPA does not “approve” specific products, it sets requirements for how a fire water tank must be sized, equipped, and integrated into your fire protection system.

Our NFPA 22 water storage tanks are configured to support capacity and duration requirements based on hazard classification; inlet, outlet, and suction arrangements for fire pumps and hydrants; and freeze protection where required. Designs are prepared in accordance with applicable AWWA standards for steel tanks, and FRP tanks follow AWWA D120 thermoset FRP guidance where applicable. NSF/ANSI/CAN 61-compliant liners and coatings are available when the same fire water tank is used to back up potable or domestic water.

Ultimately, acceptance of any fire water storage tank arrangement rests with your authority having jurisdiction (AHJ) — the fire marshal, building official, or other reviewer responsible for signing off on your fire protection design.

Tank Types & Typical Use Cases


Bolted fire water storage tank

Bolted Steel — Above Ground Fire Water Storage Tanks

Bolted steel fire water tanks are a standard choice for industrial, municipal, and commercial fire protection. Flat-panel construction allows the tank to ship in pieces and be assembled on site, even in tight locations. These fire suppression tanks supply water to sprinkler systems, hydrants, and standpipes, often with connections that allow the fire department to refill or draft directly from the tank. Modular designs make it easier to meet NFPA 22 requirements across a wide range of capacities.

Corrugated Panel Tanks — Economical Fire Protection Storage

Corrugated fire water storage tanks use lightweight, corrugated steel panels with an internal liner. They are often selected as an economical way to build a large fire fighting tank in areas where speed of installation and budget are key drivers. These tanks are well suited to rural developments, agricultural sites, and remote warehouses without municipal water, and can be configured as NFPA 22 water storage tanks with appropriate inlets, drains, vents, ladders, and fire department connections.

Corrugated panel fire protection tank
Fiberglass fire suppression tank

Fiberglass (FRP) — Above Ground or Underground Fire Suppression Tanks

Fiberglass reinforced plastic (FRP) tanks offer excellent corrosion resistance, making them ideal for harsh environments and aggressive soils. Lightweight construction allows above ground or underground installation, and these tanks are frequently used where an at-grade fire water tank would be visually intrusive or conflict with site circulation. Underground FRP fire suppression tanks provide a static cistern for the fire department while preserving surface space for parking or building expansion.

Welded Steel — Large, Permanent Fire Water Reservoirs

Welded steel tanks are the heavy-duty option for long-term fire water storage. Built on site, these custom reservoirs are typically used where very large volumes are required in a permanent location, such as airports, refineries, power stations, and industrial campuses. A single welded fire water tank can serve multiple buildings and hydrants on a looped fire main, and may also support process or cooling water in dual-use designs.

Welded steel fire water tank
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Fire Protection Tank Specifications

Typical fire water storage tank capacities range from about 5,000 to 3,900,000 gallons, depending on hazard classification, required flow, and duration. Tanks can support a single fire pump room, an individual building, or a multi-building campus fire loop.

Systems are configured as above ground fire water tanks feeding hydrants and sprinkler risers, underground cisterns where an at-grade tank will not fit the site, or standalone fire fighting tanks used as a portable water source. Designs are engineered to local wind, seismic, and load criteria, with options for:

  • Anti-vortex plates, supervised valves, vents, drains, and OSHA/IBC ladders
  • Level indication with optional remote monitoring and SCADA tie-in
  • Freeze protection packages including insulation, heaters, and heat tracing
  • Bolted, corrugated, fiberglass (FRP), or welded steel construction with optional NSF/ANSI/CAN 61 liners

More specs info, CAD drawings, and product PDF’s are available upon request.

How We Support Your Fire Protection Tank Project

A fire water tank has to clear plan review before it protects anything, so we work the project from sizing through submittal, not just the sale of a tank.

  1. Sizing & Code Review: We help align capacity and duration with your hazard classification, required fire flow, and the NFPA 22 requirements your AHJ is reviewing against.
  2. Submittal Package: Sizing information, drawings, and product data sheets are prepared for plan review, with CAD drawings and product PDFs available on request.
  3. Configuration: Fire department connections, anti-vortex plates, supervised valves, level indication, and freeze protection are specified to match your site and departmental SOPs.
  4. Coordination & Delivery: We coordinate logistics and AHJ documentation so the tank that arrives is the tank your reviewer approved.

Industries We Serve

Our fire water storage tanks are used anywhere a reliable on-site water supply is critical for life safety, insurance, and code compliance.

  • Warehousing & Logistics: Distribution centers, storage facilities, and fulfillment hubs that require a dedicated fire water tank to protect high-density pallet racking and high-value inventory when municipal flow is limited.
  • Hospitals & Healthcare: Hospitals, clinics, and medical campuses where a fire suppression tank must keep sprinklers and standpipes supplied even during municipal outages, construction, or upgrades to the local water grid.
  • Schools & Campuses: K–12 schools, colleges, and university campuses using one or more NFPA 22 water storage tanks to support dormitories, arenas, labs, libraries, and administrative buildings spread across a larger property.
  • Industrial & Manufacturing: Plants, refineries, and production facilities that depend on large-capacity fire fighting tanks to protect processing equipment, raw materials, hazardous storage, and finished goods.
  • Residential Developments: Subdivisions, rural neighborhoods, and multi-building residential projects that lack sufficient municipal pressure and rely on a central fire water storage tank or portable water tank for fire fighting access.
  • Data Centers & Energy: Data centers, power generation sites, substations, and other critical infrastructure where a dedicated fire water tank is part of a layered strategy to protect sensitive electronics and mission-critical operations.

We ship fire protection tanks internationally and support AHJ documentation worldwide, including submittal packages, sizing information, drawings, and product data sheets for review.

Fire Protection Tank Resources & Regulations

  • Fire Protection Tanks Brochure - Detailed information about our fire protection tank options.
  • NFPA 22 – Standard for Water Tanks for Private Fire Protection.
  • AWWA D100 – Welded Carbon Steel Tanks for Water Storage.
  • AWWA D103 – Factory-Coated Bolted Carbon Steel Tanks for Water Storage.
  • AWWA D120 – Thermosetting Fiberglass-Reinforced Plastic Tanks.
  • NSF/ANSI/CAN 61 – Drinking Water System Components – Health Effects.

Fire Protection Tank FAQs


How much water does an NFPA 22 fire protection tank need to hold?

There is no single number. Required volume is set by your hazard classification, the fire flow your system demands from sprinklers, standpipes, hydrants, or a fire pump, and how long that flow must be sustained. In practice it is the required flow multiplied by the required duration, then confirmed with your fire protection engineer and authority having jurisdiction (AHJ). We help size the tank once those inputs are known.

Should my fire water tank be above ground or underground?

It depends on the space you have, your soil and climate, and how the tank fits the site. Above ground tanks are common because they are lower cost and easier to inspect and maintain. Underground tanks, often fiberglass (FRP), are chosen when an at-grade tank would be visually intrusive or take up parking, circulation, or buildable space. Your site constraints and AHJ guide the decision.

Can one tank store both fire protection water and potable water?

Yes. A dual-use tank reserves a protected volume for fire protection while a separate draw-off serves domestic or potable needs above that reserve, so the fire supply is never drained by daily use. When the tank backs up potable water, NSF/ANSI/CAN 61-compliant liners and coatings are used.

What is the difference between NFPA 22 and NFPA 1142?

NFPA 22 governs the design, construction, and installation of water storage tanks for private fire protection that feed sprinklers, standpipes, and hydrants. NFPA 1142 is a method for determining the minimum water supply for suburban and rural firefighting where municipal hydrants are limited. Many municipal and rural projects reference both.

Who approves the tank, and do you provide submittal documents?

Acceptance rests with your authority having jurisdiction (AHJ), typically the fire marshal or building official. We support that review with submittal packages, sizing information, drawings, and product data sheets, with CAD drawings and product PDFs available on request.

What tank materials and capacities are available?

Fire water tanks are available in bolted steel, corrugated steel, fiberglass (FRP), and welded steel construction, with optional NSF/ANSI/CAN 61 liners. Typical capacities range from about 5,000 to 3,900,000 gallons depending on hazard classification, required flow, and duration.

Need Help Selecting a Fire Protection Tank?

One Clarion assists municipalities, facility managers, city planners, and contractors in finding the right fire water storage tank for each project. Every site is different, and our Sales Specialists will help you align tank capacity, layout, and accessories with your building specifications and fire protection goals.

Whether you’re upgrading an undersized water tank for fire protection, planning a new fire suppression tank for upcoming development, or evaluating a portable water tank for fire fighting in a rural area, we can help you compare options, coordinate with your AHJ, and streamline submittals.


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