Specialized water-based fire protection systems and standard fire sprinkler systems both use water to control or extinguish fires, limit fire spread, and improve life safety. They share key components such as a water supply, piping, control valves, and discharge devices that must be properly designed, installed, and maintained to work reliably.

The difference is that standard sprinkler systems (like wet-pipe) automatically discharge water from individual sprinklers when heat activates them, and they are designed for general building hazards. Specialized water-based systems are built for higher-risk or unique hazards and may operate differently. Examples include deluge systems, which use open sprinklers and discharge water over an entire area when activated, and foam-water systems, which apply a foam solution to suppress flammable liquid fires. Water spray systems can also protect specific equipment or exposures. Overall, specialized systems are more hazard-specific and may discharge more water more quickly than standard sprinklers.