Essential Water Solutions’ Mulberry plant, operated by Republic Services, is an environmental services facility in Mulberry, Florida focused on waste treatment and wastewater treatment operations. The owner planned a phased facility expansion to support continued growth, including site cleanup, temporary offloading tank operations, unloading area improvements, new wastewater treatment infrastructure, and supporting buildings such as a laboratory, employee breakroom, electrical room, access drives, paving, water service, and related site improvements.

Engineering Fire Protection, LLC provided fire code consulting and fire protection water supply analysis to help the design team establish a practical fire/life safety strategy for the expanding industrial site. EFP met with Polk County Fire Rescue, reviewed applicable Florida fire code requirements, evaluated fire department access, fire flow demand, on-site water storage needs, tank/FDC location criteria, and whether sprinkler or fire alarm systems would be required for the proposed support buildings.

A major challenge was that the site’s remote location and limited municipal water supply made a conventional fire flow approach difficult. EFP helped the client work with Polk County Fire Rescue to use NFPA 1142 as an alternate fire flow method, reducing the required water supply from a conventional 180,000-gallon demand to a practical on-site water storage solution of approximately 8,400 gallons for the most demanding building. EFP’s analysis helped the project team avoid unnecessary fire protection upgrades, clarify fire department access and water supply expectations, and move the phased expansion forward with a code-supported fire protection strategy.