WATER SUPPLY AND DRAINAGE IN BUILDING

Abstract

Research on air and water flows in water supply and drainage systems for buildings has led to a greater understanding of the aspects of design which contribute to both enhanced public health and pragmatic water conservation strategies. The study of airflows and the inevitable air pressure transients generated by naturally occurring phenomena within building drainage systems, has led to the development of unique surge alleviation devices in order to protect fixture water trap seals, the main protection between the public sewer and habitable space. This focus on pressure transient analysis has also contributed to the development of a sonar like device for assessing the status of water trap seals and curtailing the possibilities of infection spread via the building drainage system. While these phenomena affect the safety of people from sewer borne pathogens, the supply of water still represents a significant cost and challenge to supply authorities. The contribution of fixtures such as WCs, baths and showers represent significant usage of potable water delivered to a building; in the UK, WCs use 1/3 of the total potable water processed. Numerical modelling of flows has assisted in formulating strategies for good design practice, and is conducive to whole system modelling to ensure public health safety and water supply security is maintained, economically and efficiently.

CONTENTS

 Introduction Water distribution system in building Methods of distribution Drainage system Installation of drains The requirements of a well designed system Venting Maintenance of house drainage system Conclusion Reference

Introduction

Public water supply systems follow the sequence of collection, conveyance, treatment, disinfection and distribution. Ultimately water is distributed for various consumption purposes in a building through internal water distribution. The waste water is collected from the buildings and taken to a treatment plant for treatment and disposal. In this seminar, only the internal water supply and building drainage are discussed. The water distribution system in a building terminates at various plumbing fixtures designed to receive water and discharge wastes. The drainage system in buildings should not cause a nuisance or any hazard to health.

Water distribution system in building

The layout of water distribution piping may be basically a horizontal or vertical arrangement of limited height in which underground

mains under pressure supply water to a fixture inlets. Systems, with piping above the main or pressure tank, are called up feed systems. Systems from public mains are supplied through a service main. This starts at a top on the street mains known as a lateral. The size of laterals varies from 10 to 22.5 cm. a water meter is connected to the service main. Service pipes are subjected to expansion and contraction and minor earth movement. Hence service mains should be connected through a gooseneck or expansion loop to avoid strain on joints. Inside a building at the service valve, the building main extends to each fixture ground in single storey buildings or to the foot of each up feed riser in taller buildings. The service pipe may supply an up feed system for as greater a height as the available pressure allows. In addition, it supplies a sump from which pumps can draw for the elevated house tanks. A house tank serves down feed risers to a number of flows. The washer and other valves with stand pressures up to about 5 kg/ cm2 hence, the static head should be restricted to 50 m of water. Thus, about 15 floors is the maximum height for a down feed some

METHODS OF DISTRIBUTION
Depending up on the topography of the country any one of the following three methods may be adopted for the distribution of water 1) gravity system 2) gravity and pumping system combined 3) pumping system 4)

Gravity system
In this system the water is conveyed through pipes by gravity only. The gravity system is the most reliable method of distribution. But it is useful only when the source of water supply is situated at a higher level than that of distribution area.

Gravity and pumping system combined

In this system the treated water is pumped and stored in an elevated distribution reservoir. The excess water during low consumption remains in the elevated reservoir and it is supplied during the peak period. The pumps are usually worked at constant rate and this rate of pumping is so adjusted that the excess quantity of water stored in reservoir during low consumption is nearly equal to the extra demand of eater during peak period.

Advantages

In case of a fire, the motor pumps can be used to develop high pressure or a fire demand can directly be satisfied from pump house after closing the inlet valve for elevated reservoir. In this method, the pumps are generally worked at uniform rate. This method is economical. This method is fairly reliable in the sense that some quantity of water is available from the elevated reservoir even during break down of pumps.

Pumping system

In this system, the water is directly pumped in to the mains leading to the consumers. The number of pumps required in this system will depend on the demand of water.

Disadvantages
In case of power failure the entire water distribution system of locality is disturbed. It requires constant attendance because of the fact that the pumps are to be kept in working conditions all the time and sudden failure of pumps would lead to great hardship.

DRAINAGE
Drainage means the entire system of sewers, plant and associated machinery, which is owned by or vested in a local authority, and used for conveyance and treatment of sewage, the reclamation of water and the disposal of effluents or by-products resulting from the treatment of sewage.

ANTI SIPHONAGE PIPE: A pipe which is installed in the house

drainage to preserve the water seal of traps is known as anti siphonage pipe. It maintains proper ventilation and does not allow the siphonic action to take place.

CONSERVACY TANK: means any covered tank without overflow which

is used for the reception and temporary retention of sewage and which requires emptying at intervals.

INSPECTION CHAMBER: means a chamber not deeper than 750 mm

and of such dimensions that access may be obtained to a drain without causing a person to enter into such chamber for the purpose of inspection.

MAINHOLE: means a chamber of depth greater than 750 mm which allows

access to a drain.

ONE-PIPE SYSTEM: means a system of piping between sanitary fixtures

and a drain in which both waste and soil water are permitted to flow down a common stack.

RELIEF VENT: means a vent or ventilating pipe branching from a stack

below the point of connection there to the lowest branch connection.

SANITARY FIXTURE: means that part of a drainage system which is

permanently connected to a water supply and which is used for the reception and discharge of waste water.

SEPTIC TANK: means a tank designed to receive sewage and to retain it for
such a time and in such a manner as to secure adequate decomposition of organic solids by bacterial action.

SINGLE-STACK SYSTEM: means a system of piping between sanitary

fixtures and a drain, in which both waste and soil water are permitted to flow down a common stack, and in which the stack and discharge pipes serve also as vent pipes.

SINGLE-STACK (MODIFIED) SYSTEM: means a single stack

system in which a relief vent is provided appurtenant to the discharge stack and connected therewith below the lowest branch connection and at least at every alternate floor by a cross vent.

SOIL PIPE: The term soil pipe is used to indicate the pipe which carries
discharge from soil fittings such as urinals, water closets, etc. it should be of good materials and workmanship. The soil pips are kept of uniform diameter and when they are carried above roof level, they will work as vent pipes also.

STACK: means the main vertical discharge pipe or ventilating pipe connected
to a drainage system.

STORM WATER DRAIN: means a pipe or surface channel, which is

situated on a site and is used to convey storm water to a sewer or a point of discharge acceptable to the local authority.

TRAPPED GULLY: means a drain fitting, incorporating a trap into which

waste water is discharged.

TWO PIPE SYSTEM: means a system of piping between sanitary fixtures

and a drain, in which separate stacks are used for waste water and soil water and each stack is vented and all traps are vented.

VERTICAL: in reference to a discharge pipe means any such pipe inclined at

45 degrees or more to the horizontal.

WASTE FIXTURE: means any sanitary fixture which is used for the
reception and discharge of waste water, and includes baths, drinking fountains, showers, baths, sinks, wash basins or wash tubs.

COWL: The top of vent pipes is provided with cowls. These are provided with
slits or narrow openings.

FRESH AIR INLET: The last man hole which connects the house drain
with the public sewer is provided with an inlet of fresh air. This fresh air inlet dilutes the sewage gasses.

VENT PIPE: The pipe installed for the purpose of ventilation is known as the
vent pipe. It should be open at top and bottom and such openings should be at suitable levels for the flow of foul gases. it is generally placed in the chamber or

manhole from which sewage starts its flow sand it is carried at least about one meter higher than the roof level.

WASTE PIPE: The term waste pipe is used to indicate the pipe which carries
discharges from sanitary fittings such as bath rooms, kitchens, sinks, etc

TRAPS: A trap is a depressed or bent sanitary fitting which always remains

full of water. It is technically termed to contain the water seal which is measured as the vertical distance between crown and dip of a trap. Function The function of a trap in a drainage system is to prevent the passage of foul air or gases through it. But at the same time it allows the sewage to flow through it thus the installation of a trap avoids the nuisance which will be developed due to entry of bad smelling gasses in to the house. Requirement of a good trap 1. It should be capable of being easily cleaned. 2. It should be easily fixed with the drain. 3. It should be of simple construction. 4. It should possess self-cleansing property. 5. The internal and external surfaces should be of smooth finish.

RAIN WATER PIPES

Down pipes should be discharged into channels, onto concrete slabs or into pipes; where they are discharged into pipes, they should be connected direct to the pipe and not through a catch pit.

MATERIAL AND GRADIENTS

The following material should be used for the different pipes: A. Underground drain pipes-vetrified clay pipes (VCP) except beneath buildings where they are of cast iron. PVC, glass fibre or other types or pipe may only be used with approved B. Surface pipes: 1. Soil stacks and vent pipes - cast iron pipe (CIP) or PVC. 2. Waste pipes - cast iron or galvanized mild steel pipes (GMSP) or PVC. 3. Anti siphon pipes - galvanized mild steel pipes or PVC.

INSTALLATION OF DRAINS
Drainage Installation means an installation vested in the owner of a site which is situated on such site and which is intended for the reception, conveyance, storage or treatment of sewage and includes sanitary fixtures, traps, discharge piped, drains, ventilating pipes, septic tanks, conservancy tanks, sewage treatment works, or mechanical appliances associated therewith. Drain means that part of a drainage installation which conveys the sewage from a building to a connecting sewer or to a common drain or to any other means of sewage disposed on the site concerned, but shall not include A. any discharge pipe; B. that portion of a discharge stack which is below ground level; or C. the bend at the foot of a discharge stack, whether such bend is exposed or not.

Where any drain is constructed adjacent to or under or through a structural part of any building, adequate measures must be taken to ensure that the trench in which such drain is laid in no way impairs the stability of such building or the stability of any other building or interferes with or affects any existing services. A. Any drain shall be of such strength, having regard to the manner in which it is bedded or supported, so that the maximum loads and forces to which

it may normally be subjected will be sustained by it and it shall where necessary be protected against damage. B. The requirements contained in paragraph shall be deemed to be satisfied if either of the following is complied with:

(i)The minimum cover over the outside of the drain is not less than 300 mm or (ii) Precast or cast-in-situ concrete slabs are placed over the drain, isolated from the crown of the pipe by a soil cushion not less than 100 mm thick and such slabs are wide enough and strong enough to prevent excessive superimposed loads being transferred directly to the pipes.

Any drain shall;A. Be laid in a straight line between any points where changes of direction or gradients occur. B. Be laid with approved flexible joints which will permit joint movement to take place throughout the life of the drainage installation. C. Withstand root penetration and not deteriorate when in contact with sewage or water, and will not cause any obstruction in the interior of such drain. D. Be laid at a minimum gradient of 1:60 for 100 and 1:100 for 150 pipes. However the Project Manager may in his discretion permit gradients less than those specified above. E. Where the gradient exceeds 1:5 it must be provided with anchor blocks which must securely fix such drain in place. Where any portion of a drain passes under any building such portion shall: A .Be of Cast Iron B. Be laid without change of direction or gradient. C. Not be provided inside such building with any means of access for cleaning. Where any portion of a drain passed through a building such portion shall be: A. Cast Iron B. Supported throughout its length without restricting thermal movement and such support must be securely attached to the building. C. So placed that any junction, bend or any point of access into it is readily accessible.

Where any drain has a branch drain connected to it, such connection shall:A. be by means of a junction fitting which shall not be a saddle junction. B. Enable the flow from such branch drain to enter the drain obliquely in the direction of flow so that the included angle between the axes of the two drains does not exceed 45. Where drains are to be laid in heaving, unstable or filled in ground, the Project Manager must be consulted.

PIPES BENEATH BUILDINGS

Where it is necessary for a drain to pass beneath a building it must be of cast iron and be without change of direction or gradient. It must not carry any imposed load and provisions should be made for relieving arches on other supports where drains pass beneath the walls.

MINIMUM DEPTH OF DRAIN PIPES

To protect drains with a covering of less than 300mm they must be encased in concrete.

SEPTIC AND CONSERVANCY TANKS

Where sewage disposal is by means of septic tanks or conservancy tanks, type drawing of the tanks may be obtained from the Project Manager. The sizes of the septic tanks are based on the number of contributors to the tanks and these sizes are shown on the type drawings Septic and conservancy tanks must be located at least 3m from any building. French drains, soakage pits or agricultural drains at least 5m from any building. Care should be taken that underground water supplies are not polluted; where effluent flows away from any underground water supply the distance should be at least 50m. If effluent flows towards an underground water supply, the distance should be considerably greater and will depend on such conditions as depth of water supply, water table and soil or rock formations.

GROUPING
Where possible all toilet facilities should be grouped in a building, both horizontally and vertically and low outlet fittings such as baths and showers should be placed as close as possible to outside or duct walls, to facilitate drainage.

POSITIONING
WC's and urinals must be placed against outside or duct walls or in the case of urinals, the drainage points may end against such walls. Urinals must be adequately screened from passages, windows etc. A wash-hand basin must be available at all WC's. Walls must be of one brick thickness where more than 3 wash hand basins or bowl urinals are to be hung and also where the wall holding any of these fittings is longer than 3m

The requirements of a well designed system

Put simply, the main requirement of a well designed system is that it should operate without the user being aware of its existence. However, this is a tall order and there is therefore a need to more fully specify some requirements which can lead to the invisible system. The following requirements are essential in achieving a safe, usable and reliable drainage system; The system should remove all waste as quickly as possible Long horizontal pipe runs must be self-cleansing There must be minimal loss of water trap seal to ensure there is a barrier for the ingress of sewer gases Other requirements which are less critical are Minimal noise from the system Minimal Odor from the appliance side (WC design) Ease of maintenance Code regulations were essentially designed in order to ensure that installations meet these requirements, and to protect inhabitants against any possible health risks from contact with contaminated fecal material. In developed industrialized countries the majority of installations meet these standards and the health risks from drainage systems are still very low. As with most fields of engineering, sanitary equipment and techniques have benefited from scientific and engineering research which has improved understanding of system operation and helped develop new innovate and cost-effective ways of achieving the goal of safe, reliable drainage systems with no increase in health risk.

Venting
Usually vent piping is installed to accommodate air flow only. Sometimes large pipes are used as fixture branches and vents. A pipe which functions in this manner is called a wet vent Whenever fixtures from more than one floor drain in to a single soil or waste stack, vents from the fixtures must connect to a vent stack installed next to the soil or waste stack. It must terminate through the roof or be connected to the vent extension at the top of the soil or waste stack its base must connect to the base of the soil or waste stack Vent terminals through the roof should be three meter away from windows or other openings and must be 1.5 m above occupied roof decks. Otherwise vent terminals should be 60 cm above openings or at least 15cm above a roof. Venting or horizontal drain lines require a vertical connection of a vent pipe more than 450 from the vertical. The size of vents and vent stacks depends on the size of the line vented, the fixture unit load, and the developed length of the vent. No vent can be smaller than 3.1 cm and it can be less than one - half the diameter of the pipe vented.

MAINTENANCE OF HOUSE DRAINARE SYSTEM

The house drainage system should be properly maintained and cleaned at regular intervals for its efficient working. 1. Entry of undesired element. The users of house drainage system should take extreme precautions to avoid the entry of undesired in the system. Such substances include grit, sand, decayed fruits, prices of cloth, leaves, etc. 2. Flushing. In order to maintain the house drainage system in proper working order, it is advisable to flush it once or twice in a day. 3. Inspection. The various units of house drainage system should be inspected at regular intervals and the obstructions, if any, should be removed. Similarly the damaged pipes should be replaced. 4. Quality of materials. The materials used in the house drainage system should be of better quality. 5. Use of disinfectants. To maintain good sanitary condition in the building, the disinfectants should be freely used in lavatory blocks, bath rooms, etc. 6. Workmanship. The laying of drains and fixing of pipes should be carried out by licensed or authorized plumbers only in systematic way.

Conclusions
This report has considered the implications for venting in building drainage systems. The discussion has concentrated on the fundamental fluid mechanics which so readily describe the unsteady flows resulting from plumbing fixture discharges. The description of the workings of a drainage and vent system in these terms is not new, many early innovators were well aware of this, however, many codes and regulation worldwide seem to avoid the engineering imperative of a description based on fluid mechanics in favor of a prescriptive legalistic approach based on the evolution of the industry rather than the science. The fundamentals of system friction and pressure transient generation and propagation are central to understanding why venting is required in the first place. Possible solutions for alleviating pressure transients were discussed, including the well respected view that in certain circumstances systems operate perfectly well without venting.

In each vertical waste water pipe longer than 3,5m A vent pipe the same size as the drain pipe which it ventilates must be provided. The various units of house drainage system should be inspected at regular intervals and the obstructions, if any, should be removed. Similarly the damaged pipes should be replaced. The materials used in the house drainage system should be of better quality.

Reference
Water supply and sanitary engineering -RANGWALA Building technology and valuation (technical teachers training institute,Madras) Water supply and waste water engineering -B S N RAJU Google.com