Businesses could be billed for a floating pump to help fight fires in the City of Hamilton.

Public Safety Minister David Burch said an analysis on improving the hydrant system to cope with the fire threat to all the new high rises found that reconstructing a new hydrant system within the City was too costly at around $25 million.

Recently a mobile water supply system, known as the HydroSub 150 from the Netherlands was sourced, said Sen. Burch.

The mobile system consists of a hydraulic-driven submersible floating pump which can be used in any open water up to distances of 60 metres. It is also capable of supplying 2,000 gallons of water over a distance of 4,922 feet.

"The cost of the unit is $800,000 and I am inclined to try and recoup some of this cost from those developers who created this problem," said Sen. Burch.

The new piece of equipment should arrive in April.