RECO2006 Construction IV

Plumbing Systems

Edward CY YIU
Department of Real Estate and Construction
January 2007

Learning Objectives
• Design of Plumbing System
– Direct and Indirect Water Supply Systems
– Plumbing Installation Requirements
– Requirements in fresh water, flushing, and hot water supplies
• Maintenance of Plumbing System
– Survey
– Water Quality
– Cleaning
– Replumbing

• Links
– Copper Development Centre (1999) Video series [Chinese] and
Information on Copper Pipes, http://www.copper.org/cdcsea
– Copper Development Centre (1999) Tapping your Potential for Best
Practice in Copper Plumbing Systems Design and Installation, March
15-25, CITA, HK
– Hong Kong Housing Society (2002) Plumbing, Vol. 6, Video series
[Chinese], Quality Field Practices, Hong Kong 2

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 Authority

Building Services Framework

Water in – Plumbing System Water out – Drainage System

People out – Transportation System

People / Goods in – Transportation
System (Lifts and Escalators) Waste out – Waste Disposal System

Energy in – Electricity Supply Systems

Energy out - OTTV

Air in – MVAC System Air Out – MVAC System

Fire in – Gas Supply System Fire out – Fire Safety System

Light in – Lighting System Light out – Lighting System (blinds)

Sound in – Acoustics System Sound out – Acoustics System

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 Water Supply and Treatment
Source: http://www.wsd.gov.hk/en/html/water/treatment.htm
• There are now 21 water treatment works in Hong Kong
with a total output capacity of 4.8 million cubic metres
per day.

Fresh Water Supply System

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http://www.wsd.gov.hk/en/html/water/hkwstc.htm

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 Design of Plumbing System

• Handbook on Plumbing Installation for Buildings by WSD (2001)

– No plumbing works shall commence before the plumbing proposal has
been approved by the Water Authority (section 3.1 in p. 7)
– Grade I licensed plumber (section 4.1 in p.9)
– Pipe materials (section 6.12 in p.13)
– Water purifiers / filters may be installed in an indirect supply system via the
storage tank where there is no possibility of contamination of the mains
supply (section 6.1.6 in p.16)

Direct (Water Supply) System

• Water from the main is

supplied under pressure
from a service reservoir or
by pump house of the WSD;
• Pressure in the main is
usually up to 30m above
street level (known as water
head) for fresh water and
15m for flushing water;
• Thus direct system is
feasible.

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 Indirect (Water
Supply) System

• For high-rise buildings (H>30m), it

is necessary to install pumps to
raise water up to a storage cistern,
generally on the roof;
• The direct connection of a pumped
supply to the mains is not allowed
(back siphonage could occur when
the pressure in the mains is
reduced below that in the pipe
system of a building, it may then
contaminate the main supply);
• Thus a break cistern (sump tank) is
installed.

Combined
System
• Both direct and indirect
systems can be installed in
a building, where the direct
system supplies water to
the low-rise zone, and the
indirect system supplies
water to the high-rise zone;
and

• For super-high-rise
buildings (say H>100m), it
is necessary to install
intermediate break cisterns
and booster pumps to
divide the pumping action
in stages.

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 Alterations
• The combined
system has
been
abandoned;
and
• A direct feed
system is
used instead.

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Over- or under-pressure
• Indirect system often results in
inadequate pressure for upper-
most floors due to the short water
heads (the pressure is by gravity
from the cistern on roof to the
upper floor, i.e. a few metres).
This pressure may not be
adequate to activate gas heaters,
etc. Hence, booster pumps may
be installed on the upper-most
floors. Alternatively, a separate
elevated tank may be constructed;
and
• The pressure may be too high for
lower-most floors. Pressure
reducing valves may be installed
on the lower-most floors.

Booster Pump
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200X Pressure Reducing Valve

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 Water Hammer
• If the pipes are loosely fixed, the
backward thrust created when
taps are switched on and off will Regulating Pressure Valve
cause vibration in the pipeline,
producing a hammering noise.
• Pressure regulating valves and
more frequent and secured fixings
can alleviate the problem.
• However, rusting of pipe brackets
is a common problem in plumbing
system. Brass alloy pipe bracket
for copper pipe and hot dip
galvanised pipe bracket for other
pipes are recommended. Pipe Size Horizontal Vertical
• Pipe support space for copper
pipes: 20 2m 2.5m
40 2.5m 3m
80 3m 4m 13

Piping Materials

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 Piping Materials (Cont’d)

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Attributes of a Superior Plumbing System

• Durability
• Versatility
• Corrosion Resistance
• Pressure Capability
• Temperature Range
• Expansion Rate
• Impermeability
• Cost Effectiveness
• Health and Safety
• Proven Performance
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 Copper Pipe
• 22mm diameter Cu pipe can withstand 20kPa pressure;

• Cu pipe can withstand the extremes of temperature (-

196 – 205 degree Celcius) and ultra violet light
exposure without long term degradation.

• Cu is corrosive resistant, Gunmetal (Copper+Tin+Zinc)

is strongly corrosive resistant, which is usually used for
pipe connection pieces.

• Cu + plastic coated pipe (EN 1057) is available for

reducing heat loss in hot water circulation system.

• Cu pipes are easily connected: Common jointing types

include (1) mechanical compression; (2) capillary
(solder); (3) flanges, Victaulic (roll-groove) and pushfit
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Embedded Pipes
• WSD Circular Letter 1/2000 and PNAP 230
• HKWSR Ch.1 Cl. 1.6 [revised in Aug 1995]:
– “All water pipes which come into direct contact with concrete
shall be protected with suitable material. No water pipe shall be
embedded within load bearing structural elements such as
columns, beams and slabs in longitudinal direction. …vertical
water pipes piercing through beams, columns and structural
walls may be permitted when such water pipes are protected by
sleeving or other suitable means.”
• PNAP 230:
– Causes of seepage are … related to water-borne piping
embedded in the structural members of a building. … You are
strongly advised to design the routing of all water-borne piping
off structural elements to facilitate the indispensable need for
repair and replacement of such piping…”

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 Hot Water Supply
• There are several different types of hot water supply systems;
• Divided into 2 main types: Centralized and Local hot water supply;
• Boiler and gas water heater are commonly used in Hong Kong.

Refer to WSD (2001) for details

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Flushing Water Supply - Direct

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Flushing Water Supply - Indirect
• Salted water or fresh
water for flushing?
• See WSD (2001)

• Minimum Volume of WC
Cistern?
• See WSD Circular
5/1999

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Size of Water Tanks

• How about fire service tank, sprinkler tank, and others?

• See course materials on Fire Services Installations

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 Flushing Water Quantity
• PNAP 17,220 - Water Supply
(BSSF,P,DW&L)R 10(A)(4))
– Flushing water qty:
• Dom, office, shops, etc: 450 litre/required
fitment/day
• Restaurant: 13.5 litre/seat/day
• Cinema: 4.5 litre/seat/day
• School: 18 litre/head/day
• Hotel: 90 litre/rm/day

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Pipe Sizing
• Pressure loss due to:
– Density and viscosity of the water
– Pipe wall roughness
– Velocity or flow rate of the water

– Losses through fittings

– Pressure at the main
– Difference in elevation between source and discharge
points
– Length of the pipeline
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Sizing by the Loading Unit Method, using BS 2871 Table X for copper pipe sizing chart

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 Typical
Piping
• How to
represent
on plan?
• Find one
typical
example
yourselves

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Maintenance and Management

• Survey of Plumbing Systems
• Standards of Water Quality Examination
• Water Certificate (Fresh Water Plumbing
Quality Maintenance Recognition Scheme)
– by WSD

• Building Health and Hygiene Index (BHHI)

– by HKU

• Intelligent Building Index (IBI)-10 - by the Asian

Institute of Intelligent Buildings (AIIB)

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 Survey of Plumbing System
• What are to be surveyed for a plumbing
system?
• Visual inspection?
• Any record drawings?
• What conditions are to be accepted?

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Survey of Plumbing Systems

(cont’d)
TEST ACCEPTABLE STANDARD (Domestic)
1 Water Flow Rate > 0.2 litre per second
2 Water Quality •Comply with WHO’s guideline for drinking
water quality
•< 15 (Lovibond Nesslerizer MKIV color
test)
3 Water Pressure > 0.5 bar
4 Pipe Sampling < 50% reduction of bore
5 Visual Inspection •No serious joint rusting / leakage
•Comply with WSD’s (2001) Handbook and
Record Plans
•Comply with WSD’s (2005) Maintenance
Guide
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 Water Quality Examination
Standards
Standard Techniques Sections to be followed

International Organization for Part 2: Guidance on sampling technique

Standardization (ISO) 5667 Water Part 3: Guidance on preservation and handling of
Quality – Sampling samples
Part 5: Guidance on sampling of drinking water and
water used for food and beverage processing.
World Health Organization (WHO) – Annex 4: Sampling methods for bacteriological testing.
Guidelines for drinking water quality 2nd
Edition, Volume 3
American Public Health Association Section 1060: Collection and preservation of samples.
(APHA) Standard Method for the
Examination of Water and Wastewater
20th Edition

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WSD Certification Tests

Parameters Unit Acceptable Method Test Result Testing
Limits Detection Laboratory
Limit
/Range
pH 6.5 – 9.5 1.0 –14.0
Colour TCU ≤15 5
Turbidity NTU ≤3 0.1
Conductivity µS/cm ≤ 800 2
Iron mg/l ≤ 0.3 0.01
E. coli. Count / 0 0
100ml
Total Count / 0 0
Coliform 100ml

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 WSD Check List
Component Action
Water Pipe Is there any leakage?
(from connection point,
Is there any serious corrosion to cause discolouration?
communal riser to
communal downfeed)
and Pump

Filter if installed Is it installed for supply from a water tank?

Is it maintained with replacement of filter cartridge in
accordance to the instruction given by the supplier?

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WSD Check List (Cont’d)

Water Tanks Is the water dirty?

Are the tanks dirty?
Is there any cross connection between the fresh water
storage tank and the flushing or fire service water tank?

Are the metallic components susceptible to corrosion?

Is there any sign of corrosion?
Are the overflow and warning pipes functioning and
free from obstructions?
Are the access manholes provided with raised necks?
Are the access manhole covers double-sealed and
locked?

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 BHHI – water supply
Description 1 Score 5

1 Water supply

• Pipe material Steel UPVC

6 Water quality

• WSD quality certificate Absent Present

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IBI-10
z Potable Water
9 Water quality certificate
9 Water tank cleaning
frequency
9 Examination
9 Bonus points
z Flushing Water
9 Water tank cleaning
frequency
9 Examination
9 Bonus points
z Potable & Flushing Water –
Management Practice

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 IBI-10 (cont’d)
Weight Remarks
10.1 Potable water quality certificate
[Achieved, not achieved] to (65, 1) 9

The fresh water plumbing quality maintenance recognition scheme is certified by Water
Supplies Department. Water quality testing parameters include pH, colour, turbidity,
conductivity, iron, E. coli and total coliform. System inspection includes water pipe, filter,
water pumps and water tank.

10.2 Potable water tanks cleaning frequency

[3 months or less .. 10 months or more] to (95 ..10) 6

Food & Environmental Hygiene Department recommends cleaning of fresh water tank
every 3 months for restaurants and food manufacturing industry.

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IBI-10 (cont’d)

10.3 Potable water examination If potable water quality

[Failure in E. coli, total coliform, pH, colour, certificate in item 10.1
turbidity, conductivity, iron, none] to (20, 20, 8 is achieved, this item
50, 50, 50, 50, 50, 95) will automatically
achieve 95 marks
Water quality testing parameters include pH, colour, turbidity, conductivity, iron, E. coli
and total coliform. E.coli and coliform are 2 important parameters and will be capped
on 20 if any one of them is failed.
10.4 Potable water – bonus points
[Any one of the following items, nil] to (80, 40) 8

Provisions to reinforce the potable water system

a. U.V. lights
b. Filtration system
c. Other approved methods
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 IBI-10 (cont’d)
10.5 Flushing water tanks cleaning frequency
[3 months or less .. 10 months or more] to (95 ..
4
10)

10.6 Flushing water examination

[2 parameters passed, 1 parameter passed, nil] to
8
(95, 50, 1)

Water quality testing parameters are E. coli and total coliform.

10.7 Flushing water – bonus points

[Any one of the following items, nil] to (80, 40) 8

Provisions to reinforce the flushing water system

a. Chlorine pills
b. Bleaching agents
c. Filtration system
d. Other approved methods 37

IBI-10 (cont’d)

10.8 Potable & flushing water – management

practice
I. [* achieved, not achieved] to (goto II, 1)
II. [Any five practices, any four practices, any 8
three practices, any two practices, any one
practice, nil] to (95, 75, 60, 45, 30, 20)

Provisions of management practice to reinforce both water systems

Employment of licensed plumbers and registered professional engineers for design
and construction work (statutory requirement)
a. Regular cleaning and maintaining tidiness of plant room
b. Regular cleaning and maintaining tidiness of pipework
c. Extend of rusting and corrosion
d. Access panel tightness
e. Maintenance record keeping
f. Maintenance planning

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Cistern Cleaning Procedures

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Maintenance Schedule

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 Good Practices of Fresh Water
Plumbing Maintenance

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Plumbing System Maintenance

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Plumbing System Maintenance (Cont’d) 43

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 Replumbing Works within Buildings
• WSD Circular Letter 4/1999
• Pursuant to S.14 of the Waterworks
Ordinance, all major replumbing works of
fire service and inside service within
buildings should not be carried out without
the permission in writing of the Authority.
• Cost Estimates of Replumbing – see WSD
homepage and BD homepage

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Cost Estimates of Replumbing

Total No. of Total Replumbing Average Replumbing Cost
Units Cost Per Unit
48 $338,050 $7,042
20 $35,000 $1,750
40 $66,000 $1,650
245 $487,000 $1,988
132 $366,000 $2,773
47 $70,000 $1,489
109 $275,200 $2,525
46 $297,100 $6,459
7 $32,000 $4,571

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(Source: Building Department's Building Safety Loan Scheme in 2004)

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 Cleaning Cost Estimates
Total No. of Units in the No. of Water Average Annual Cost
Building Tank per Flat
160 2 $75
304 3 $65

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WSD Homepage

References
• WSD (2000) Installation Notes of Different Types of
Corrosion Resistant Pipe Materials as Inside Service in
Buildings, WSD, Hong Kong.

• WSD (2001, [revised edition in 2006]) Handbook for

Plumbing Installations in Buildings, WSD, Hong Kong.

• WSD (2004) Hong Kong Waterworks Standard

Requirements for Plumbing Installation in Buildings,
WSD, Hong Kong.

• WSD (2005) Fresh Water Plumbing Maintenance Guide,

WSD, Hong Kong.

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 The End
For enquiries, please send email to
Edward CY YIU
Department of Real Estate and Construction
The University of Hong Kong

ecyyiu@hkucc.hku.hk

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