French General Code of Local Authorities
In forceI. - The following are part of the public external fire defence service for which the communes are responsible pursuant to article L. 2225-2, or public establishments for inter-communal cooperation where they are competent :
1° The work required to create and develop the identified fire water points;
2° The accessibility, numbering and signposting of these water points;
3° Upstream of them, the carrying out of works, developments and work required to guarantee the permanence and volume of their supply;
4° Any measures required for their management;
5° Maintenance actions intended to preserve the operational capacities of the fire water points.
II. - By way of derogation from I, the charges relating to the various objects of the service are borne, in whole or in part, by other public persons or private persons in application of the laws and regulations relating to safety or public facilities, in particular for establishments receiving the public mentioned in articles L. 123-1 et seq. of the French Construction and Housing Code, as well as for fire hydrants specific to installations classified for environmental protection as provided for in articles L. 511-1 and L. 511-2 of the Environment Code.
III. - Apart from the cases mentioned in II, making a water point available to the public external fire defence service in order to integrate it into the fire water points is the subject of an agreement concluded between the owner of the water point and the commune or public establishment for inter-communal cooperation.
This agreement may in particular set out:
- the procedures for returning water used for external fire defence;
- the management of the distribution of the water resource for the needs of the owner and for those of external fire defence;
- the distribution of charges relating to the various objects of the service.
