1.2.1.

Principles of Plumbing
Plumbing is the art and technique of installing pipes, fixtures, and other apparatuses in
buildings from bringing in the supply, liquids, substances, and/or ingredients and
removing them; and such water, liquid, and other carried-wastes hazardous to health,
sanitation, life, property, also the pipes and fixtures after installation i.e. the plumbing
system. The professional practice of plumbing in the Philippines is governed and
enacted by the Republic Act 1378, which is also called as the Plumbing Law. The law
mandates the implementation of the National Plumbing Code of the Philippines way
back before in its origin as the Plumbing Law of the Philippines based on the History of
Plumbing Practice in the current Revised National Plumbing Code of the
Philippines.
The code provides the basic principles of plumbing which stands as the core
foundations of the code itself which dates back from the first release of the code in the
form of the Plumbing Law of the Philippines.

Principle 1
All premises intended for human habitation, occupancy or use shall be provided with
a supply of pure and wholesome water, neither connected with unsafe water supplies
nor subject to hazards of backflow or back-siphonage

Principle 2
Plumbing fixtures, devices and appurtenances shall be supplied with water in
sufficient volume and pressure adequate to function satisfactorily and without undue
noise

Principle 3
Plumbing shall be designed and adjusted to use the minimum quantity of
water consistent with proper performance and cleaning

Principle 4
Devices for heating and storing water shall be so designed and installed as
to prevent dangers from explosion through overheating
Principle 5
Every building abutting on a street, alley or easement with a public sewer
shall connect its plumbing fixtures to the sewer system

Principle 6
Each family dwelling unit shall have at least one water closet, one kitchen type sink, a
lavatory and a bathtub or shower to meet the basic requirements of sanitation and
personal hygiene

Principle 7
Plumbing fixtures shall be made of smooth non-absorbent material, free
from concealed fouling surfaces and shall be located in ventilated enclosures

Principle 8
The drainage system shall be designed, constructed and maintained to safeguard
against fouling, deposit of solids, clogging and with adequate cleanouts so arranged
that the pipes may be readily cleaned

Principle 9
All piping shall be of durable NAMPAP-APPROVED materials, free from defective
workmanship, designed and constructed by Registered Master Plumbers to ensure
satisfactory service

Principle 10
Each fixture directly connected to the drainage system shall be equipped with a water-
sealed trap

Principle 11
The drainage pipes piping system shall be designed to provide adequate circulation of
air free from siphonage, aspiration or forcing of trap seals under ordinary use

Principle 12
Vent terminals shall extend to the outer air and installed to prevent clogging and the
return of foul air to the building

Principle 13
Plumbing systems shall be subjected to such tests to effectively disclose all leaks and
defects in the workmanship

Principle 14
Substance which will clog the pipes, produce explosive mixtures, destroy the pipes or
their joints or interfere unduly with the sewage-disposal process shall not be allowed to
enter the building drainage system

Principle 15
Proper protection shall be provided to prevent contamination of food, water, sterile
goods and similar materials by backflow of sewage. When necessary, the fixture, device
or appliance shall be connected indirectly with the building drainage system

Principle 16
No water closet shall be located in a room or compartment which is not properly
lighted and ventilated

Principle 17
If there is no sewer system in the area, suitable provision shall be made for
the disposal of building sewage by some accepted method of sewage treatment
and disposal, such as a septic tank

Principle 18
Where a plumbing drainage system may be subject to backflow of sewage, suitable
provision shall be made to prevent its overflow in the building

Principle 19
Plumbing systems shall be maintained in serviceable condition by Registered Master
Plumbers

Principle 20
All plumbing fixtures shall be installed properly spaced, to be accessible for their
intended use

Principle 21
Plumbing shall be installed with due regard to the preservation of the strength of
structural members and the prevention of damage to walls and other surfaces through
fixture usage

Principle 22
Sewage or other waste from plumbing system which may be deleterious to surface
or sub-surface waters shall not be discharged into the ground or into any waterway,
unless first rendered innocuous through subjection to some acceptable form of
treatment

Plumbing Cycle
Only a small percentage of the total volume of water in the world is used for human
consumption. Most of these volumes are either stored in ice caps, glaciers, or in the
oceans. Water, for it to be continuously sourced from, undergoes a cycle which
describes its phases from its sources i.e. reservoirs, lakes, rivers, up to its end-users
like me and you, until it goes back again to its sources, and vice versa. It is a cycle of
continuous effort to maintain and secure an optimum supply of water for its users.
Diagrammatic Interpretation of The Plumbing Cycle

Let's start from the sources of water like lakes, rivers, reservoirs and dams. From
there, water shall be released in bulk volumes and shall be distributed through large
main distribution pipes by Manila Water or Maynilad bringing the supply of water to
various communities. In the residential setting, these large main distribution pipes are
sometimes laid underneath the main roads across the main entrance of various villages,
subdivisions, and small communities. The portion of these main water distribution pipes
serves as the main water supply for various villages, subdivisions, and small
communities, and even for various industrial and commercial users. Some subdivisions
have their own local water tank which provides water for their community.
Water is distributed to its users through network of underground pipes connecting
the main distribution pipes to the pipes connected inside each household. Upon
reaching a household, the water can now be used from various plumbing fixtures
connected by pipes inside their house. The end-product of all used water in all forms of
processes, or waste waters, are now discharged and collected by a different set of
plumbing fixtures connected by waste water pipes inside the building towards a sewage
disposal system. These waste waters are then disposed through sanitary sewer
lines and storm water sewer lines for those storm water runoffs. These waste waters
are treated in sewage treatment plants or STP to remove harmful components that
contaminates the water. After the thorough process of treatment, the treated waters are
then discharged in natural bodies of water like lakes and rivers, or in reservoirs and
dams, to undergo its natural process of treatment. Then the cycle goes full circle by
starting on these sources of water.

Diagrammatic Interpretation of Water Function

The diagram shown above illustrates an idea on how vastly large the coverage of
plumbing and sanitary from its sources up to the point of disposal. A single source of
water i.e. reservoirs and dams, up to a single point of disposal i.e. sewage treatment
plants. As the water supply is distributed through its various main distribution pipes, the
network of pipes connected to deliver water to its intended end users increases; its
coverage becomes very wide. Until such time that these water have been used, each
household would produce their waste water. Imagine the amount of waste water we
produce each day? Now, these waste waters are collected by various sewer pipes
which are, of course, of very wide coverage. These sewer lines drop off their collected
waste waters in various endpoints, one of which is the sewage treatment plant. This
diagram further depicts the general function of each key element in the previously
discussed plumbing cycle.

1.2.2. Design Provisions for

Plumbing
Based on our previous discussion, plumbing is the art and technique of installing pipes,
fixtures, and other apparatuses in buildings from bringing in the supply, liquids,
substances, and/or ingredients and removing them. Focusing on the previous plate
activity for waterline system, plumbing system enables the distribution of clean water in
the building through various components such as:

1.
1.
1. Water Service Entrance
This consists of the main distribution pipe from the source of water i.e. local
subdivision tank, and the pipe connecting this to the water supply piping system of
the building.
2. Water Meter
A device used to measure the amount of water consumption in a building. This
screens the water before they enter the water supply piping system with certain
attachments i.e. gate valves, check valves, which regulates the flow of water.
3. Main Distribution Pipe
This is the main pipe that delivers water from the outside source towards the
connecting pipes inside the building.
4. Branch Pipes (fixtures)
This includes all branch pipes connected from the main distribution pipe inside the
building to the fixtures inside bathrooms and other areas which will receive water.
5. Riser
This is used for buildings of two-storeys and up to distribute water towards the upper
floor levels.
6. Valves and Control
Various valves are available for use in plumbing system with a main function to
regulate the flow of water and other liquids inside the pipes. Although there are
certain differences among these valves, but they similarly function the same.
7. Storage Tanks
There are cases that buildings employ the usage of water tanks to ensure
continuous supply of water amidst any water interruption incident from its sources.
Aside from determining the capacity of the tank to be used based on various factors
i.e. number of occupants, the pump required to supply water in the tank including the
pressure requirements for inflow and outflows should be strictly considered.

Plumbing Fixtures
Plumbing fixtures are classified into: soil, scullery, and bathing.

Soil Fixtures
These fixtures are responsible for the collection of various waste water that shall be
disposed in soil pipes. Soil pipes are pipes that discharges waste water that are
sometimes classified as black water. Black water is a term used to refer waste water
that contains solid wastes and the the typical liquid wastes. Soil fixtures includes: water
closets, urinals.

Water Closets
Types of water closets are classified according to flushing, flush tank type, mounting,
and flushing action.

Water Closets according to Flushing

•
o
▪
▪
▪
▪ water closets with flush tank
▪ water closets with direct flush valve (DFV) or flushometer valves

Water Closets according to Flush Tank Type

•
o
▪
▪
▪
▪ Integral Flush Tank
▪ Closed Coupled Flush Tank
▪ Low Flush Tank
▪ High Flush Tank

Water Closets according to Mounting

•
o
▪
▪
▪
▪ Floor-mounted
▪ Wall-hung

Water Closets according to Flushing Action

 •
o
▪
▪
▪
▪ Wash down
▪ Reverse trap
▪ Siphon jet
▪ Siphon vortex
▪ Direct flush valve

Other types of Water Closets include:

•
o
▪
▪
▪
▪ Squat type
▪ Washout

Sample Images of Water Closet and its typical components

Setting Water Closets

Water closets are set from its center to the surface of a side wall with a minimum
distance of 0.375m. Center-to-center spacing of water closets are set at a minimum
of 0.75m.

The tabulation below shows the minimum water closet requirement for each occupancy based on
the number of users/occupants in a building

Urinals
Types of urinals are specified as wall hung, pedestal, trough, and stall. Urinals are
set 0.30m from its center to the surface of a side wall. 0.60m is the minimum center-to-
center distance set between two urinals. It is considered that flushing urinals should be
done through automatic flushing tanks or flushometer valves provided that these valve
are self-closing type that discharges predetermined quantity of water. No manually-
controlled flushometer valve should be used to flush group urinals, as evident in most
trough-type urinals found in public restrooms i.e. bus terminals

The tabulation below shows the minimum urinal requirement for each occupancy based on the
number of users/occupants in a building

Scullery Fixtures
These fixtures consists of those that are responsible for kitchen, dining, and cooking
utensils i.e. kitchen sinks, and washing various materials or small items i.e. lavatories,
laundry areas. These fixtures commonly discharges various grey waste water through
waste pipes. Waste pipes are pipes that discharges waste water that are sometimes
classified as grey water. Grey water is a term used to refer waste water that only
contains pure liquid wastes with occasional minimal solid wastes which are not from any
human or animal defecate. Other scullery fixtures include: slop sinks, bar sinks,

Kitchen Sinks
Typical materials used for kitchen sinks are stainless steel, cast iron enamels, formed
steel coated with porcelain enamel

Laundry Tubs
Typical materials used for laundry tubs are stainless steel, cast iron enamels, formed
steel coated with porcelain enamel

Lavatories
Lavatory types are either pedestal, wall hung, pullman/countertop, trough.

Bathing Fixtures
These fixtures are primarily responsible for bathing. These fixtures commonly
discharges various grey waste water through waste pipes. Bathing fixtures include:
bathtubs, whirlpool baths, Jacuzzi, bidets.

Bidet
Bidets are set at 0.375m from the center of bidet to the surface of a side wall,
and 0.75m minimum center-to-center distance set between bidets.

Floor Drains
Shower receptors, dams, curbs, are installed in the bathroom to prevent the escape of
water that might overflow or flood inside the bathroom during bath. These shall be at
least 25.4mm lower than the outside floor, nor be less than 51mm or more
than 228mm from the top of the dams or curbs to the top of the drain.

Shower Compartment
Shower compartments should have a minimum interior area of 0.6m2 and shall be
capable of encompassing a 762mm diameter circle. This area shall be maintained from
a point above the shower drain to a height 1.78m with no protrusions other than the
fixture valve, shower head, and safety grab rails. This is to ensure that the person using
the compartment is given adequate space to freely move around the compartment
during bath. Drains for gang shower rooms i.e. public shower area in resorts, shall be
spaced not more than 4.9m apart.