Chapter 11

Sanitary Drainage Systems

11.1 MATERIALS
See Section 3.1.

11.2 BUILDING SEWERS

11.2.1 Sewer orDrain in Filled Ground

Building sewers or building drains that are installed in filled or unstable ground shall be installed in accordance
with Section 2.6.

11.2.2 Existing Building Sewers and Drains

Existing building sewers and drains may be used in connection with new building sewer and drainage systems
only when found by examination to conform to the new system in quality ofmaterial prescribed by this Code.

11.2.3 Building Sewer and Building Drain Size

The size ofthe building sewer and the size of the building drain shall be determined by fixture unit loads
connected in accordance with Table 11.5.1A. See Figures 11.5.1 - A and - B

11.3 DRAINAGE PIPING INSTALLATION

11.3.1 Slepe of'Horizontal Drainage Piping

a. Horizontal drainage piping shall be installed in uniform alignment ai uniform slopes not less than 1/4 inch
per foot for 2-inch size and smaller, and not less than 1/8 inch per foot for 3-inch size and larger.

b. Where conditions do not permit building drains and sewers to be laid with slope as great as that specified,
a lesser slope may be permitted by the Authority Having Jurisdiction. See Appendix K for the approxi-
mate discharge rates and flow velocities in drains at various slopes.

11.4 FIXTURE UNlTS

11.4.1 Load on Drainage Piping

The load on drainage system piping shall be computed in terms ofdrainage fixture unit values in accordance
with Table 11.4.1 and Section 11.4.2.

11.4.2 Conversion of Flow in GPM to DFU

Where the discharge rate of fixtures or equipment is expressed in gallons per minute (GPM), two (2) drainage
fixture units (DFU) shall be allowed for each gallon per minute (GPM) of flow.

2006 National Standard Plumbing Code-Illus/rated 251

Flow in Sloping Drains
Tables K-l and K-2 list flow rates in gallons per minute and velocities in feet per second for various
size drains at various slopes. Table K-I is based on fairly rough pipe. Table K-2 is based on smooth
pipe.

The minimum flow velocity to achieve scouring in horizontal sanitary drain lines is two (2) feet per
second. For this reason. based on Table K-2 for smooth pipe. drains that are 2 inches and smaller
must be sloped at not less than 114 inch per foot. Drains that are 3" size and larger can be sloped at 1/
8 inch per foot.

Even at 1/4" per foot slope, the uniform velocity in drains that are 1-114", 1-112", and 2" size is less
than 2 feet per second. Either the slope should be increased or the length of such drains should be
kept to a minimum so that the entrance velocity will provide scouring for the short distance involved.

Tables K-I and K-2 are based on the Manning Formula for 1/2 full pipe. For full 110w, multiply the
flow by 2.00 and the velocity by 1.00. For 1/4 full flow, multiply the flow by 0.274 and the velocity
by 0.701. For 3/4 full flow, multiply the flow by 1.82 and the velocity by 1.13.

In Table K-l, which is based on fairly rough pipe with "n" = 0.015, for smoother pipe, multiply the flow
and velocity by 0.015 and divide by the "n" value of the smoother pipe.

Horizontal sanitary drain and waste pipes are sized to bc one-half (112) lull under design loads.
Horizontal storm drains are sized to run full under design loads.

Table 11.5.IA "Building Drains and Sewers" and the horizontal piping in Table 11.5.JB "Horizontal
Fixture Branches and Stacks" is based on Table K-2 for smooth pipe.

Table 13.6.2 "Size of Horizontal Storm Drains" is based on Table K-I for fairly rough pipe, adjusted for
full flow.

442 7006 National Standard Plumbing Ccde-lltustratcd

 Table K·2
APPROXIMATE FLOW RATES AND VELOCITIES IN SLOPING DRAINS
(FOR SMOOTH PIPE n = 0.011)
Flowing Half Full

Actual inside 1/16 in.lft. slooe 1/8 inJft. slooe 1/4 in.lft. slope ] /2 in./ft. slope

diameter of Flow Vel. Flow Vel. Flow Vel. Flow Vel.

pine - inches <!pm fo, ""m fbs enm fo, <!pm fo,

1.250 3.27 1.71 4.63 2.42

1.375 4.22 1.84 5.97 2.60

1.500 5.32 1.92 7.53 2.72

1.625 6.86 2.04 9.32 2.89

2 11.5 2.35 ]6.2 3.33

3 23.9 2.18 33.8 3.08 47.8 4.36

4 36.4 1.85 51.5 2.62 72.8 3.71 103 5.24

5 66.0 2.15 93.3 3.05 132 4.31 187 6.09

6 107 2.44 152 3.44 215 4.87 303 6.89

8 231 2.95 327 4.1 8 462 5.91 654 8.36

10 419 3.42 593 4.84 838 6.84 1185 9.68
12 681 3.87 964 5.47 1363 7.73 1927 10.94

15 1236 4.49 1747 6.35 247] 8.99 3495 12.71

444 2006 National Standard Plumbing Co,/r'--fI!u.ltmll'd

 TableK-l
. APPROXIMATE FLOW RATES AND VELOCITIES IN SLOPING DRAINS
(FOR FAIRLY ROUGH PIPE n = 0.015)
Flowing Half Full

1/16 in/ft. slo..... 1/8 in.lft. slooe 1/4in.lft. slooe 1/2 inJft. slcoe

Actual inside
diameter of Flow Vel. Flow Vel. Flow Vel. Flow Vel.
oire - inches ~m
aom fn. eom
"'" fos <rom JUs
1.250 2.40 1.25 3.40 1.77

1.375 3.10 1.35 4.38 1.91

1.500 3.90 JAI 5.52 1.99

1.625 4.83 1.50 6.83 2.12

2 8.41 1.73 11.9 2.44

3 17.5 1.60 24.8 2.26 35.0 3.20

4 26.7 1.36 37.7 192 53.4 2.72 75.5 3.84

5 48.4 1.58 68.4 2.23 96.8 3.16 137 4.47

6 78.7 1.79 III 2.53 157 3.57 223 5.05
8 169 2.17 240 3.06 339 4.33 479 6.13

10 307 2.51 435 3.55 615 5.02 869 7.10

12 500 2.84 707 4.0] 999 5.67 1413 8.02

15 906 3.29 1281 4.66 1812 6.59 2563 9.32

200t} National Standard Plumbing Code-Iltusmued 443