Georgia Fire Inspectors Association

Fundamentally it is not necessary to restrict the water velocity, however the maximum allowable velocity shall not exceed 32 fps for interior pipe, or 16 fps for underground pipe, when the Hazen-Williams empirical formula is used since this formula is based on empirical data derived using velocities below these limits (note: certain scientific formulas have upper [e.g. turbulent] and lower [e.g. laminar] limits to which the validity of the formula is based upon, and using data outside of the formula’s limits invalidates the results) ~ velocities exceeding these may use Darcy, Bernoulli, or other hydraulic equations based upon scientific (as opposed to empirically) derived data.

Hydraulic calculations using the Hazen-Williams formula (btw - they all do...) that include velocities exceeding 32fps are in error as do not accurately represent the friction losses. There is no need for a code section limiting the velocity (especially since using formulas other than the Hazen-Williams formula may substantiate the use of higher velocities...) as the rules of mathematical is sufficient.