In the near future, all new homes built in Frederick, Md., will have at least one thing in common: a fire sprinkler system. The Frederick Board of Aldermen has passed an ordinance requiring all newly built one- and two-family dwellings to have sprinklers.

Currently, the city requires that sprinkler systems be installed only in multi-family dwellings, such as apartments and townhouses.

The new legislation will take effect Oct. 1. Steve Krone, Frederick's fire protection engineer, estimates the extra cost to city homes for the meters and water pipes will be $4,000 or more per home.