FB Bombas Engineering Team14 min read
ABNT NBR 13714:2000 sets the minimum conditions required for sizing, installation, maintenance, acceptance and handling, as well as the characteristics, of the components of hydrant and hose station systems for exclusive use in fire fighting. The ABNT Catalog record (consulted on 28 October 2026) lists it as in force, confirmed on 25 April 2024. Whether the occupancy requires the system, and of which type, is defined by the state Fire Department Technical Instruction; it and the approved design prevail for the building.
FB pump for this application
FBFS
Do you need the pump for hydrants and hose stations?
FBFS sets carry an FBCN main pump, a jockey pump, a control panel and a base, with electric, diesel or electric plus diesel drive, designed to NFPA 20 and NBR 16704.
Source: FBFS
At a glance
- NBR 13714 sets how to design hydrants and hose stations; the state Fire Department instruction says whether the occupancy requires the system and which type.
- The project’s system type comes from the state instruction: São Paulo’s IT 22 and Goiás’s NT 22 list five types in Table 2, where type 1 is the hose station, with the minimum flow and pressure for each type.
- The design considers the two most unfavorable outlets in simultaneous use, and the fire water reserve comes from Table 3 of São Paulo’s IT 22 and Goiás’s NT 22, which crosses floor area with occupancy group.
- The fire department connection, a passive inlet for the fire truck and not a pump, has the main pipe’s diameter. On the sidewalk, Goiás’s NT 22 calls for a gate or ball valve; against vandalism, São Paulo’s IT 22 allows a check valve.
- How often the pump start tests run comes from the design’s maintenance plan and from the state Fire Department requirement; check the instruction of the state where the building is and the approved design.
What requires the hydrant, the system type and the fire water reserve is the state Fire Department Technical Instruction: here are the values of São Paulo's IT 22 and Goiás' NT 22 and what they ask of the pump. A guide from the pump manufacturer.
NBR 13714 updated: the edition in force and what the standard covers
The edition in force is ABNT NBR 13714:2000. The ABNT Catalog record, consulted on 28 October 2026, lists publication on 30 January 2000, confirmation on 25 April 2024 and the status "in force". Anyone looking for the "updated NBR 13714" finds the same 2000 edition: the record lists no newer edition.
The scope, in the words of the record: the standard sets the minimum conditions required for sizing, installation, maintenance, acceptance and handling, as well as the characteristics, of the components of hydrant and hose station systems for exclusive use in fire fighting. The full text is sold by the ABNT Catalog and this article does not reproduce it.
The numbers in the following sections — system types, flow, pressure, fire water reserve and fire department connection — come from two public Technical Instructions, always with the state: the São Paulo Fire Department IT 22 and the Goiás Fire Department NT 22.
NBR 13714 covers hydrants and hose stations; NBR 10897 covers automatic sprinkler fire protection systems. NBR 16704, per its record, sets the minimum requirements for the selection and installation of stationary pump sets for automatic fire protection systems, and NFPA 20 is the standard for the installation of stationary fire protection pumps. What IT 22 asks of the hydrant system pump is in the section on the fire pump and jockey, further down.
Who requires hydrants: the standard or the state Fire Department?
What requires the system is each state's legislation and the competent Fire Department Technical Instruction. São Paulo's IT 22 and Goiás' NT 22 set the classification by occupancy and floor area (Table 3) and the system types (Table 2). In another state the text and values may differ: check the instruction of the state where the building is and the approved design.
A single project may combine hydrants, sprinklers and a pump set, each block with its own reference. São Paulo's IT 22 (item 4.9.2) and Goiás' NT 22 (item 5.9.2) allow the fire water reserve to feed other protection systems, manual or automatic, by interconnecting the reservoir piping, provided the parameters of São Paulo's IT 23 and Goiás' NT 23, each state's sprinkler instructions, are met.
| Reference | Scope |
|---|---|
| NBR 13714 | Hydrant and hose station systems for exclusive use in fire fighting (sizing, installation, maintenance, acceptance and handling) |
| NBR 10897 | Design and installation of automatic sprinkler fire protection systems |
| NBR 16704 | Selection and installation of stationary pump sets for automatic fire protection systems |
| NFPA 20 | Installation of stationary fire protection pumps |
| State Technical Instruction | Requirement by occupancy and area; system types, flow, pressure and fire water reserve |
Hydrant and hose station types: flow and pressure under IT 22 (SP) and NT 22 (GO)
São Paulo's Fire Department IT 22 and Goiás' Fire Department NT 22 divide the systems into five types, with the same values in Table 2. Type 1 is the hose station, with a 25 mm hose; types 2 to 5 use 40 or 65 mm hoses. For each type, the table gives the nozzle, the hose, the number of outlets and the minimum flow and pressure at the valve of the most unfavorable hydrant.
The flows apply at the outlet of the valve of the hydraulically most unfavorable hydrant (São Paulo IT, item 4.6.1.2). Note 2 of the table accepts a lower nozzle pressure when the hydraulic calculation and the manufacturers' catalogs prove that the flow and the jet reach are met. Pressures are in mca (meters of water column); 1 mca is about 0.1 kgf/cm².
Other states publish their own instruction: check the numbering and values of the state where the building is before requesting the pump.
Scroll the table to see every column. The first column stays on the left.
| Type | Adjustable nozzle (DN) | Hose (DN × length) | Outlets | Minimum flow (L/min) | Minimum pressure (mca) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 1 (hose station) | 25 | 25 mm × 30 m | single | 100 | 80 |
| Type 2 | 40 | 40 mm × 30 m | single | 150 | 30 |
| Type 3 | 40 | 40 mm × 30 m | single | 200 | 40 |
| Type 4 (with 40 mm hose) | 40 | 40 mm × 30 m | single | 300 | 65 |
| Type 4 (with 65 mm hose) | 65 | 65 mm × 30 m | single | 300 | 30 |
| Type 5 | 65 | 65 mm × 30 m | double | 600 | 60 |
Engineering note
The system type is not the pump manufacturer's choice: it follows from the occupancy and area in Table 3 of the state instruction (next section). The pump flow and pressure start from the row of the type adopted. State the type and the instruction adopted when you request the pump.
Fire water reserve by occupancy and area: what Table 3 defines
Table 3 of São Paulo's IT 22 and Goiás' NT 22 crosses the floor area with the occupancy group and gives, in each cell, the system type and the minimum fire water reserve volume (RTI). The volume comes from the table (São Paulo IT, item 4.9.1; Goiás NT, item 5.9.1), and the system sizing follows the table parameters according to the occupancy (São Paulo IT, item 4.12.3).
The volumes are the same in both instructions; the occupancy lists per column are not identical (Goiás' puts M-1 and M-10 in the type 4 column, for example), and it is the list of the state where the building is that applies.
To read the table: find the area band in the first column and the occupancy group column. The first occupancy column offers two alternatives, type 1 and type 2, each with its own RTI; the last one gives type 4 up to 5,000 m² and type 5 above that. The table has notes that change how it is read: five in São Paulo’s IT 22 and four in Goiás’ NT 22.
Notes 1 and 2 deal with automatic sprinklers; note 3 with the area considered for group A; note 4 sends division M-2 to IT 25 in São Paulo (in Goiás, to NT 25 or NT 28) and requires the other areas on the same site to adopt the largest fire water reserve and pump head values; note 5, São Paulo only, counts only the support areas in group K.
In that row, São Paulo’s IT prints “above 20,000 m²”; Goiás’ NT, with the same volumes, writes “above 20,000 up to 50,000 m²”. The occupancy codes (A-2, C-1, F-6 and so on) are those of Table 1 of the state fire safety regulation. Reading example, no calculation: an occupancy in column 2 with 7,000 m² falls in the band above 5,000 up to 10,000 m², type 3 and RTI of 25 m³.
The occupancy groups per column, per São Paulo's IT 22:
- Column 1 (type 1 or 2):A-2, A-3, C-1, D-1 (up to 300 MJ/m²), D-2, D-3 (up to 300 MJ/m²), D-4 (up to 300 MJ/m²), E-1 to E-6, F-1 (up to 300 MJ/m²), F-2, F-3, F-4, F-8, G-1 to G-4 (up to 300 MJ/m²), H-1, H-2, H-3, H-5, H-6, I-1, J-1, J-2 and M-3
- Column 2 (type 3):D-1, D-3 and D-4 (above 300 MJ/m²), B-1, B-2, C-2 (above 300 up to 1,000 MJ/m²), C-3, F-1 (above 300 MJ/m²), F-5, F-6, F-7, F-9, F-10, F-11, H-4, I-2 (above 300 up to 800 MJ/m²), J-3 (above 300 up to 800 MJ/m²) and K-1
- Column 3 (type 4):C-2 (above 1,000 MJ/m²), G-1 to G-4 (above 300 MJ/m²), I-2 (above 800 MJ/m²), J-3 (above 800 MJ/m²) and L-1
- Column 4 (type 4 or 5):G-5, I-3, J-4, L-2, L-3 and M-7
Scroll the table to see every column. The first column stays on the left.
| Floor area | Column 1, type 1 | Column 1, type 2 | Column 2, type 3 | Column 3, type 4 | Column 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Up to 2,500 m² | 5 m³ | 8 m³ | 12 m³ | 28 m³ | Type 4: 32 m³ |
| Above 2,500 up to 5,000 m² | 8 m³ | 12 m³ | 18 m³ | 32 m³ | Type 4: 48 m³ |
| Above 5,000 up to 10,000 m² | 12 m³ | 18 m³ | 25 m³ | 48 m³ | Type 5: 64 m³ |
| Above 10,000 up to 20,000 m² | 18 m³ | 25 m³ | 35 m³ | 64 m³ | Type 5: 96 m³ |
| Above 20,000 up to 50,000 m² | 25 m³ | 35 m³ | 48 m³ | 96 m³ | Type 5: 120 m³ |
| Above 50,000 m² | 35 m³ | 48 m³ | 70 m³ | 120 m³ | Type 5: 180 m³ |
Which components form a hydrant and hose station system?
The system has five blocks: fire water reserve, dedicated piping, hydrants or hose stations in cabinets, a fire department connection accessible to the Fire Department and, when gravity is not enough, a pump set. The reserve and the network meet the demand; the connection allows external reinforcement; the pumps hold the design hydraulic point.
The fire water reserve is the volume of water kept exclusively for firefighting, with the minimum from Table 3 (previous section). Hydrant valves are angle globe valves of DN65 (2½″); in type 1 and 2 systems they may be DN50 (2″) when the piping has that diameter (São Paulo IT 22, items 4.5.1 and 4.5.1.1; Goiás NT 22, item 5.5.1). Hose station valves are ball valves (quick-opening), full bore, DN25 (1″) minimum (São Paulo IT, item 4.5.3).
A building with a type 1 system needs a quick-coupling water outlet for a 40 mm (1½″) fire hose (São Paulo IT, item 4.6.1.3; Goiás NT, item 5.6.1.3). Hose cabinets follow Annex D of the instruction, and each hydrant or hose station point carries the materials of Table 4 (São Paulo IT, item 4.6.1.4).
The fourth block is the fire department connection: the inlet that lets the Fire Department pump water from the truck into the building's network. In both instructions it is an extension with the same diameter as the main pipe, with couplings compatible with those of the Fire Department, and it gains a second inlet when the system flow exceeds 1,000 L/min (São Paulo IT, items 4.3.1 and 4.3.3; Goiás NT, items 5.3.1 and 5.3.3).
Mind the vocabulary: the "recalque hydrant" is not a pump; what keeps the network pressurized day to day is the fifth block, the fire pump set.
- Fire water reserve (RTI) — exclusive volume, with the minimum from Table 3 of the state instruction
- Dedicated piping network — independent from the building consumption network
- Hydrants and hose stations in signposted cabinets — with hoses, nozzles and wrenches
- Fire department connection — inlet for the Fire Department truck, at the sidewalk, on the façade or in the boundary wall
- Fire pump set — electric or internal combustion main pump and jockey pump, per Annex C of the instruction
Fire department connection: dimensions, location and valve under IT 22
The fire department connection, which the instructions call "dispositivo de recalque", is a passive inlet for the Fire Department to pump water into the network; it is not a pump. Every system has one, with the same diameter as the main pipe and couplings compatible with those of the Fire Department (São Paulo IT, item 4.3.1).
São Paulo's IT 22 calls for a column type on the façade or in a recessed cabinet in the wall and accepts the public sidewalk only where a technical impossibility is proven (item 4.3.2); Goiás' NT 22 prefers a column type, with the sidewalk where technically impossible (item 5.3.2).
The market calls the "dispositivo de recalque" "hidrante de recalque", "registro de recalque" or "tomada de recalque". Two vocabulary warnings: it is not the street pillar hydrant (which belongs to the public utility network) and it is not a booster pump — it is a passive connection, for Fire Department use.
On the main façade or in the boundary wall facing the street, the inlet faces the street and points downward, at 45°, at a height between 0.60 m and 1.50 m above the property's sidewalk level (São Paulo IT, item 4.3.4; Goiás NT, item 5.3.4). In any position, the rule that decides the inspection is the same: the location must let the fire truck approach from the public street, for free access by the firefighters.
On the public sidewalk, Goiás' NT 22 (item 5.3.5) calls for a buried masonry box with a permeable bottom or drain; a hinged lid and a cast-iron (or similar) frame marked "HIDRANTE", measuring 0.40 m × 0.60 m; a 0.50 m setback from the curb; the inlet pointing upward at 45°, no more than 0.15 m below the sidewalk surface; the operating handwheel no more than 0.50 m above the finished floor; and piping of DN50 minimum diameter (Figure 2 of the NT).
The valve is a gate or ball valve, with flow in both directions (item 5.3.5.6).
Against vandalism, São Paulo's IT 22 (item 4.3.5) allows the quick-coupling joint to be welded and fitted with a check valve; Goiás' NT 22 (item 5.3.4.2) allows the welded joint, without mentioning the check valve. Above 1,000 L/min, the system has two fire department inlets (São Paulo IT, item 4.3.3; Goiás NT, item 5.3.3).
Note
The fire department connection and the pump set are complementary in the design: the device ensures the Fire Department can reinforce the network with the trucks; the building autonomy in the first minutes depends on the fire water reserve and on the pump set starting on its own upon pressure drop.
Fire pump and jockey: what IT 22 requires for hydrants
The pump comes in when the available supply cannot hold the Table 2 flow and pressure at the most unfavorable outlets. Both instructions require sizing for the simultaneous use of the two hydraulically most unfavorable water jets, with at least the Table 2 flows (São Paulo IT, item 4.8.3; Goiás NT, item 5.8.2), and define the most unfavorable location as the one with the lowest dynamic pressure at the hydrant outlet (items 4.8.4 and 5.8.3).
It is this worst-case condition, not the system average, that sets the duty point: the pump head adds the Table 2 minimum pressure at the most unfavorable hydrant valve, the static head and the network head losses up to it, and the model is chosen at that flow–head point.
Annex C of the instructions sets what the hydrant system pump must have. The items below are from São Paulo's IT 22, with the equivalent item of Goiás' NT 22 where checked:
- At least one electric or internal combustion pump, used only for the system (São Paulo IT, C.1.1 and C.1.3; Goiás NT, C.1.2). In Goiás the minimum number depends on the pump's role (C.1.3): a booster pump is one main pump with a backup power source; a fixed pump means two pumps, main and standby, the standby with a backup power source, except in low-risk buildings (fire load up to 300 MJ/m²), where the main pump with a backup power source is enough. The backup power source may be waived for an internal combustion pump (C.1.3.2.1)
- Automatic start when any hydrant point is opened, manual-only shutdown and at least one manual start point in a safe, easily accessible place (São Paulo IT, C.1.6 to C.1.8; Goiás NT, C.1.7 to C.1.9). In São Paulo, shutdown is at the control panel in the pump house; in Goiás, the manual start point may also shut the pump down
- Pressurization (jockey) pump when the system has more than six outlets, with a maximum flow of 20 L/min; it is waived when the fire water reservoir is elevated (São Paulo IT, C.1.15; Goiás NT, C.2.1)
- Pressure: the maximum working pressure at the nozzles does not exceed 100 mca (1,000 kPa), and fire pumps with pressure above 100 mca (1 MPa) are not recommended (São Paulo IT, 4.8.8 and C.1.14; Goiás NT, 5.8.7 and C.1.15)
- Suction and piping: water velocity at the suction of no more than 2 m/s (negative suction) or 3 m/s (positive suction) and, in the piping, no more than 5 m/s (São Paulo IT, 4.8.11 and 4.8.12; Goiás NT, 5.8.9 and 5.8.10)
- NPSH: with negative suction (pump shaft above what item C.1.12 allows, 2 m over water level 'X' or 1/3 of the effective tank capacity, whichever is less), calculate the available NPSH at 1.5 times the nominal system flow; it must be equal to or greater than the NPSH required from the pump curve at that same flow (São Paulo IT, 4.8.15 and C.1.12; Goiás NT, 5.8.13 and C.1.13)
The FB pump for hydrants and hose stations
FB Bombas supplies the pump, the panel and the base (skid) of the fire pump set; the hydrant, the hose station, the cabinet and the piping stay with the design and the works. The set is a diesel or electric motor-pump on a single base, fixed or mobile, with the jockey pump on the same base or separate.
FB designs the set in conformity with NFPA 20, and building approval still depends on the design and on the Fire Department inspection.
The sets carry a main electrical panel and a local panel for manual and automatic start and, depending on the configuration, a fuel tank, battery set, silencer and relief valves. The base can be open, covered, in a thermo-acoustic enclosure or on a trailer. Motors run at up to 3,500 rpm (electric) and up to 1,800 rpm (diesel).
The catalog jockey range is 0.5 to 40 m³/h and 2.0 to 30.0 kgf/cm²; in a hydrant system under IT 22 or NT 22, the jockey is selected within the 20 L/min (1.2 m³/h) limit, with a maximum pressure equal to the main pump's no-flow (shut-off) pressure. The fuel tank ranges from 250 to 3,000 L. The diesel set panel has an automatic weekly start programmer. In FBFS systems, the main pump is the centrifugal pump of the FBCN series.
The set's flow and pressure come from your hydraulic calculation and duty point, not from a catalog maximum.
Requesting a quote for the project pump set? View the FBFS configurations and send the hydraulic calculation report and requirements defined by the responsible engineer. Include the following data in your enquiry:
- Hydraulic calculation: design flow and required pressure at the two most unfavorable outlets (Table 2 of the state instruction) and, with sprinklers, the combined demand (NBR 10897)
- Suction data: tank type, minimum level and elevation difference to the pump
- Intended driver (electric, diesel or both) and the available power supply
- Site location (state or country), adopted standards (NBR 16704 or NFPA 20) and the list of required documents
Commissioning and inspection report: what IT 22 says to check
Annex F of São Paulo's IT 22 gives an example commissioning and periodic inspection report for the hydrant and hose station system, with the responsible engineer and the professional registration number. It is a yes/no checklist, and works as a roadmap for the works and for maintenance. Goiás' NT 22, in the version opened for this review, has no such annex.
For the pump buyer, the report asks whether the pump set is properly installed, whether the jockey exists and is properly installed, whether the pump sits in a fire-protected compartment with no accumulation of combustible material, has no leaks (test), and runs at the flow and pressure of the approved design. It also asks whether gauges and pressure switches work, whether the isolation valves are locked in the intended position and whether the pump anchoring is adequate.
On the system side, it checks unobstructed and signposted hydrants, hoses in good condition, cabinets with nozzles and spanners, a signposted and unobstructed fire department connection and a reservoir with the design volume.
How often the pump start tests run comes from the design's maintenance plan and from the state Fire Department requirement. FB's diesel set panel has an automatic weekly start programmer. The licensing process varies by state: check the documents the competent authority requires.
Warning
Before booking the inspection, test the automatic start by opening a test hydrant and check the log of the runs — with a trained team and prior notice that the system will be under test.
Common specification mistakes in hydrant systems
Four specification mistakes undermine hydrant systems. First: sizing the pump for the average outlet instead of the two most unfavorable outlets operating together — the system works on paper and fails at the top-floor hydrant. Second: classifying the system type without checking the instruction of the state where the building is, or carrying another state's values into the design.
Third: leaving out the jockey in a system with more than six outlets and a non-elevated reservoir, where the instruction requires it — the main pump then starts at every small loss and, under the instruction, only shuts down manually. Fourth: buying the pump before the hydraulic design — when the head loss calculation is finished, the purchased unit does not meet the duty point.
The way to avoid all of them is the same: start from the occupancy classification in the state instruction, take the design flow and pressure from it, calculate the network and only then specify the pump set under the design standard adopted, NBR 16704 or NFPA 20. Send the hydraulic calculations to FB Bombas application engineering, flagging any data still pending: the reply brings the pump set specification and the scope of supply.
The building design and its approval remain with the responsible engineer.