Chap 7

WATER SUPPLY PLUMBING SYSTEMS IN

BUILDINGS & HOUSES

By U. Charlotte
1. INTRODUCTION
 Water is necessary to carry out various household
activities in day to day life.
 Hence, water service (i.e. water supply and drainage) has
become an integral part of any house construction.
 The provision of water services in a house is known as a
residential plumbing system.
 It is complicated and one of the costliest system to install
and repair.
 The residential plumbing system is a complex network
comprises of hot & cold water supply pipes, fixtures and
appliances, drain pipes, traps, vent pipes, water storage
tanks, etc.
 It runs either unseen inside the walls or on the walls.
2. Terms related to plumbing
 It is necessary to know the following terms relating to
plumbing, principles and the common practices used in the
house plumbing
 1. Water main: A water supply pipe vests in the administrative
authority for the use of public or community
 2. Ferrule: It is gunmetal or bronze screwed into the hole
drilled in CI pipe mains. Communication pipe takes off from
the ferrule. The pressure in the domestic supply and equal
distribution among the house connection are effected by
adjusting the ferrule opening. Normally the ferrule opening is
equal in area to the area of flow in communication pipe.
 3. Saddle: it is used in place of ferrule for mains of AC or PVC
pipes
 4. Communication pipes: It is a pipe taking off from the ferrule
for the house connection. It is owned and managed by the
water supply authority. Communication pipe terminates at the
boundary of the consumers premises.
2. Terms related to plumbing
2. Ferrule
2. Terms related to plumbing
3. Saddle

clamp saddles HDPE & PVC Tapping bands & clamp saddles
2. Terms related to plumbing
2. Terms related to plumbing
 5. Service pipe : it is the part of the house connection beyond
the stop cock. It is owned and maintained by the consumer . No
pumps shall be installed on this pipe.
 6. Watermeter: It is installed to measure the flow. It is an
integrating meter that it records the total flow upto the time of
measurement. Generally 12.5 mm to 18.75mm rotary water
meters are installed either at the beginning or at the middle of
the service pipe. A masonry pit is constructed around it. It has
facility of sealing by the water supply authority
 7. Residual pressure: It is generally measured at the ferrule and
should be about 7m head of water
 8. Goose Neck: It is the short bent pipe and allow for small
changes in length due to expansion and movement of pipes due
to soil settlements
2. Terms related to plumbing
3. The requirements of plumbing systems
1. Plumbing of water lines should be such as not to permit back
flow from cisterns and sinks
2. All joints shall be perfectly water tight and no leakage or spill
at taps or cocks should be allowed
3. Pipelines should not be carried under walls or foundations
4. It should not be close to sewers or waste water drains.
5. When pipe lines are close to electric cables proper
precautions for insulation should be observed
6. Plumbing lines should be such as to afford easy inspection
and repair of fixtures and joints.
7. Number of joints should be less and the number of bends and
tees should be less
8. It should supply adequate discharge at fixtures economical in
terms of material and protected against corrosion , air lock,
negative pressure and noise due to flow in pipes and in
flushing
4. Essential Parts of Residential Plumbing System
Three Essential Parts of Residential Plumbing System are:
1. Water Supply System (flow of water into a house)
2. Fixtures and Appliances (where water used for carrying
out various activities)
3. Drainage system (collection and disposal of used (waste)
water
4. Essential Parts of Residential Plumbing System
1. Water Supply System:
 Potable water is supplied by the municipality or private water
company or through private underground bore well.
 This water enters a house through main supply line. Water
supply in a house is either of DIRECT or INDIRECT water
supply system..
 Direct Water Supply System: All water outlets of a house
receive water directly from the mains. This is possible where
water source delivers water 24 x 7 with high water pressure,
sufficient enough to deliver water at an adequate pressure at all
faucets (taps).
 Indirect Water Supply System: Water from mains is conveyed
to storage water tanks then delivered to house.
 Main supply line (down take pipe in case of Indirect water
supply system) then splits into two branch lines. One branch
line takes water to water heater and other branch line carries
cold water.
4. Essential Parts of Residential Plumbing System
2. Fixtures and Appliances
 Various sanitary fixtures and appliances are provided in house.
 Fixtures: sinks, bathtubs, toilets, showers and laundry tubs
 Appliances: water heaters, dishwashers, washing machine, water
softeners
 All fixtures and appliances require water at distinct water
pressure and water flow. Pressure at fixtures and appliances
should not be less than 1.2kg/cm² (12m head) and not greater
than 5kg/cm² (50m head). Care should be taken while fixing
height of fixtures so that adequate water pressure is available.
 Water outlet at fixtures and appliances is controlled by faucets
(taps) and valves.
 Nowadays sophisticated faucets are available needing basic
minimum pressure and for which sound hydraulic design is
must.
4. Essential Parts of Residential Plumbing System
3. Drainage system
 The used water then enters drainage system (wastewater
system). Before entering drainage pipes, wastewater is first
passed through drain traps.
 Trap: It is a U-shaped pipe. It holds standing water and prevents
foul sewer gases from entering and spreading into room space.
 Drainage system works entirely on gravity. All the wastewater
flows downward through a series of large diameter pipes.
 The drainage pipes are attached to a system of vent pipes.
 Vent pipe: Vent pipes are open from the top end, from where they
bring fresh air to the drain system, forcing drainage water to flow
downward. These pipes exit house at rooftop.
 All wastewater eventually reaches main wastewater line, which
exits the house and is connected to either municipal sewer line
or connected to the septic tank and cesspit where the sewer line
is not available.
5. Piping System in the building
1. PIPING SYSTEM USING DIRECT SUPPLY
 When the residual pressure at the ferrule is greater than 7m and
continuous supply is available in the mains, water may be supplied
directly from the service pipe for various fixtures for a single storey
building
2. PIPING SYSTEM USING OVER HEAD TANKS If the supply is
intermittent and residual pressure is low then, water is pumped to
over-head tanks and then supplied to distribution pipes at required
pressure by gravity
3. PIPING SYSTEM USING UNDER GROUND AND OVER
HEAD TANK SUPPLY. If the supply is intermittent and residual
pressure is low then a ground level storage tank and a overhead
storage tank are built to supply water. Water from the overhead tank
is drawn by down take pipes and then into the distribution pipes for
fixtures.
4. PUMPED SYSTEMS When the residual pressure at the ferrule is
less than 7m and continuous supply is available in the mains, water
may be supplied by pumping from the service pipes.
6. House service connections
6. House service connections
HW 7
 Draw the neat sketch showing the house (your house!)
service connection from the distribution main and state the
function of each component.

 Instruction: work in group of 2 students

 7. SEPTIC TANK
 Septic tanks are one of the most widespread on-site
treatment units worldwide used. Construction is relatively
costly; however, the technology requires little O&M.
 SEPTIC TANK
 Description
 A septic tank is a watertight storage container for storage as
well as for physical and chemical treatment of liquid household
waste.
 The septic tank should have at least two chambers. In the first
chamber or “separation chamber‟, most of the solids
accumulate; in the second or “polishing chamber‟, the effluent
is further clarified.
 Liquid flows into the tank and heavy particles sink to the
bottom,
 With time, the solids settling to the bottom are degraded
anaerobically.
 The clarified liquid passes out of the septic tank through an
outlet-T to prevent the discharge of scum or sludge.
 The effluent must then be dispersed in some way, e.g.: a
leaching field or soak pit.
 SEPTIC TANK
 Maintenance
 Septic tanks should be checked for watertightness, and the
scum and sludge levels should be monitored to ensure that the
tank is functioning well
 Septic tanks are small rectangular chambers, usually sited just
below ground level, in which household wastewater (toilets
wastewater and sludge) is retained for 1-3 days.
 Design of the tank volume
 The tank is made of four zone:
 Scum storage zone
 Sedimentation storage zone
 Digestion sludge storage zone
 Digested sludge storage zone
 The total volume of a septic tank is then the sum of the above
four zone
SEPTIC TANK
SEPTIC TANK
Illustrative example
 Design a septic tank to serve a family of 6 persons whom
produce 100 l/c/d. The design temperature is 25oC.
Illustrative example
DESIGN OF THE SEPTIC TANK VOLUME
 The tank is made of four zone: Scum storage zone, Sedimentation
storage zone , Digestion sludge storage zone and Digested sludge
storage zone
 The total volume of a septic tank is then the sum of the above four
zone
 Sedimentation zone: is function of the retention time for
sedimentation, which is given by: th= 1.5-0.3log PQ = 0.6 days
 With:
 th= minimum mean hydraulic retention time for sedimentation, days
 P= contributing population
 Q = wastewater flow per person, l/day
 The value of th used should not be less that 0.2 day.
 The tank volume for sedimentation (Vh, m3) is given by:
Vh = 10 -3 PQth = 0.36 m3
Illustrative example

DESIGN OF THE SEPTIC TANK VOLUME

 Sludge digestion zone: depend on the time needed for
anaerobic digestion of the settled solids (td, days), which
varies with temperature (T, C) as given by the equation
below:
 td= 1853 T -1.25 = 33.147 days
 The volume of the sludge digestion zone (Vd, m3) is given
by:
 Vd = 0, 5 * 10-3Ptd = 0.099m3
Illustrative example
 Digested sludge zone: depends on the rate of
accumulation of digested sludge (r, m3 per person per
year) and the interval between successive desludging
operations (n, years).
 For n < 5: r = 0.06m3/person year
 And n > 5: r = 0.04m3/person year
 The sludge storage volume (Vsl, m3) is given by:
Vsl = r*P*n = 1.8 m3 (assume disludge in5years)
 Scum zone
 Scum accumulates at approximately 30 to 40 percent of
the rate at which sludge accumulates and so the tank
volume for scum storage (Vsc, m3) can be taken as 0.4Vsl
= 0.72 m3
Illustrative example
 So, the total volume of the tank is given by:
 V= Vsc +Vh +Vd +Vsl
 Since Vsc is around 0.4 Vsl this becomes:
 V= Vh +Vd +1.4 Vsl = 2.98m3

 Dimension:
 Height/ depth
 Area
 Shape (Rectangle)
 Length to width ratio
 Length

 Width
Illustrative example
 Dimensions: Assume depth of 1.5m, the surface area
= 2.98/1.5 = .... m2
 Assume length to width ratio of 3:1
 then B = ...m
 Hence L = ...m
 Provide a free board of 0.3 m
Therefore The dimension of the septic tank = ..m X ...m
X 1.5m
Review chap 7
QUIZ 7
 Discuss the purpose of the following parts used in house
plumbing system:
a) Trap
b) Service pipe
c) Saddle
 Chap 8

SEWERAGE SYSTEMS
 SEWERAGE- introduction
Sewerage:
 is a system for the removal and disposal of chiefly liquid
wastes and of rainwater, which are collectively called
sewage.
Sewage :
 is waste matter carried away in sewers or drains. It is
99.94 percent water, with only 0.06 percent of the
wastewater dissolved and suspended solid material.
 Sewerage constitute of:
 a waste pipe that carries away sewage
 The system of sewers in a city, town etc.
 a waste pipe that carries away sewage or surface water
 SEWERAGE- introduction
Sewer:
 A general term denoting a system for controlling the flow
of unwanted (non-potable) waters.
There are two types of sewers:
 Sanitary Sewer - the system of pipes and pumping stations
that deliver wastewater from homes and businesses to
Waste Water Treatment Plants.
 Storm sewer -a system designed to carry rainfall runoff
and other drainage.
• Storm drain -system found on urban streets at curbside,
• They drain rainwater off the streets to prevent flooding.
• Water entering storm drains is usually sent directly into the
nearest waterway, untreated.
 Sewerage system
There are basically two types of conventional drainage
systems:
1. Combined system
 When both sanitary sewage and storm water are carried in
single sewer, it is called a combined system.
 In dry weather, the system carries wastewater flow from
domestic and industrial only. This flow is called dry
weather flow (DWF).
 During rainfall, the flow in the sewers increases as a result
of the addition of stormwater.
 Sewerage system
combined sewer overflows (CSOs)
 During rainfall, the stormwater flow will predominate, the
stormwater could be 50:1 the average wastewater flow.
 It is simply not economically feasible to provide capacity for
this flow along the full length of the sewers
 which would by implication, would carry only a tiny proportion
of the capacity most of the time.
 It will also be unfeasible to provide this capacity of treatment
plant.
 The solution is to provide structures in the sewage system,
which, during medium or heavy rainfall, direct flow above a
certain level flow out of the sewer system into a natural
watercourse.
 These structures are called combined sewer overflows (CSOs)
Combined system cont’d
 Sewerage system
1. Combined system cont’d
is used in the following circumstances:
 When both the sanitary sewerage and the storm water
require pumping
 When density of population is so high, the space may not
be available to have two separate sewers.
 When the storm sewer exists already, sanitary sewerage
also can be admitted in the same sewer provided its
quantity is small compared to storm water.
 When the rainfall is evenly distributed the whole year.
 Sewerage System
2. Separate System
Two separate sets of sewers are installed:
 one for collection and conveyance of sanitary sewage and
the other for storm water.
 In this system, wastewater and stormwater are carried in
separate pipes, usually laid side-by-side.
 Wastewater flow varies during the day, but the pipes are
designed to carry the maximum flow all the way to the
wastewater treatment plant.
 The storm water is not mixed with the wastewater and can
be discharged to the watercourse at a convenient point.
 Sewerage system cont’d
2. Separate system cont’d
is used in the following circumstances:
 When it is required to treat only sanitary sewage
 When the topography is flat which necessitates deep-
cutting if combined sewer are used
 Frequency and intensity of storms are not of high
magnitude, when storm water can be collected by surface
drains.
 When the financial position does not permit to have large
combined sewers.
 Sewerage system cont’d
2. Separate system cont’d
The advantage of the separate system:
 CSOs, and the pollution associated with them, are avoided.
 cost.
 It is true that the pipe work in separate systems is more expensive
to construct (but constructing two pipes instead of one does not
cost twice !!).
 The pipes are usually constructed together in the same excavation
 the stormwater pipes may be about the same size as the
equivalent combined sewer and the wastewater pipe could be
smaller.
 So the additional costs are due to slightly wider excavation and an
additional, relatively small pipe.
Separate system cont’d
SANITARY SEWAGE QUANTITY ESTIMATION
1. Nearly 75 % of the water supplied, comes out in the form
of wastewater,
 so a water supply project should as far as possible be
accompanied with waste water disposal scheme
2. The rate of sewage is assumed as equal to the rate of
water supply.
 It should not be forgotten that additional water also finds
its way to the sewer (private sources and infiltration).
 By considering the rate of sewage and the rate of water
supply, two factors have to be considering: intensity of
pressure and use of water.
SANITARY SEWAGE QUANTITY ESTIMATION
 The quantity of sewage is expressed as liters per day, or
cubic meters per second.
 The flow of sanitary sewage alone in the absence of
storms in dry season is known as dry weather flow
(DWF).
 DWF = per capita sewage contributed per day x
Population
Or
 DWF = per capita sewage contributed per day x density
of Population X area served by the sewer.
SANITARY SEWAGE QUANTITY ESTIMATION
Fluctuations in Dry Weather Flow (DWF)
 Since dry weather flow depends on the quantity of water
used, and as there are fluctuations in rate of water
consumption, there will be fluctuations in dry weather
flow also.
 In general, it can be assumed that:
 Maximum daily flow = 2 X average daily flow and
 Minimum daily flow = 2/3 X average daily flow.
SANITARY SEWAGE QUANTITY ESTIMATION
The DWF depends on the following factors:
 Population: DWF depends upon the population served at the
end of the design period.
 Effect of growth of population on per capita production of
sewage.
 Type of area (commercial, residential and industrial area.)
 Rate of water supply: The anticipated rate of water
consumption at the end of the design period must also be
studied in the estimation of quantity of sewerage.
 Ground water infiltration: since the sewers are to be laid at the
slopes that maintain self-cleaning velocity, sometimes sewer
may run below ground water table. In such cases, a part of
ground water may enter the sewers through leaky joints and
form a part of sewage.
Design Periods & Population Forecast
 Refer to chap 2
 Materials for sewers
various materials which are used for sewers:
 Brick
 Cast iron
 Cement concrete
 Corrugated iron
 Plastics
 Steel
 Stoneware
 Wood
Materials for sewers
 Factors to be considered while making selection of the
materials:
 Cost: should be moderate and reasonable.
 Durability: durable so that the replacement is not too
frequently
 Imperviousness
 Resistance to abrasion: the sewage may be erosive. If it
contains grit and moves with a high velocity, the erosion may
takes place
 Resistance to corrosion: the sewage possesses corrosive
qualities
 Strength: bcs the sewers are generally laid underground
 Weight: should possess moderate weight so as to make easy
the handling and carrying
Shapes of sewers
 Generally the sewers of circular shape are adopted:
economical
 The sewers of non-circular shapes are also used like:
 Rectangular or box type section
 Semi-circular section
 Semi-elliptical section
 U-shape section
 …
Joints in sewers
 Cement mortar
 Collar
 Flexible or bituminous
 Mechanical
 Open
Ventilation of sewers
 The sewers are to be properly and satisfactorily ventilated
for the following two reasons:
 Continuous flow: the surface of sewage should remain in
contact with free air. Otherwise the air-locks will be
formed.(air-lock: a small amount of air in a pipe that
stops liquid flowing through it)
 Disposal of sewer gases: the decomposition of sewage
inside the sewers develops gases which are known as the
sewer gases. These gases are harmful in many ways and
hence, they should be carefully disposed off in the
atmosphere.
Methods of ventilation:
 Manholes with chemicals
 Manholes with gratings (a metal frame with bars across it,
used to cover a window or hole)
 Proper construction of sewers
 Proper design of sewers
 Proper house drainage system
 Ventilating columns or shafts (a passage which goes down
through a building or down into the ground, so that someone or
something can get in or out)
Cleaning and maintenance of sewers
Causes which make it necessary to clean the sewers:
 Breakage of sewers
 Clogging
 odours
Methods for the cleaning and maintenance of sewers:
 Cleaning and flushing
 Cleaning of catchpits
 Inspection
 Periodical repair
 Proper connections
Design of Sewers
Difference bn water supply pipe and sewer pipe
 The hydraulic design of sewers and drains, which means
finding out their sections and gradients, is generally carried
out on the same lines as that of the water supply pipes.
 !But two major differences:
 Presence of particles The sewage contain particles in
suspension, the heavier of which may settle down at the bottom
of the sewers, as and when the flow velocity reduces, resulting
in the clogging of sewers.
 Pressure: The water main normally carry water under
pressure, they may be carried up and down the hill. The sewers,
on the other hand, are treated as open channels and they must
be laid at continuous gradient in downward direction.
 Minimum Velocity
 The flow velocity in the sewers should be such that the
suspended materials in sewage do not get silted up;
 The generation of such a minimum self cleansing
velocity in the sewer, at least once a day, is important,
 if certain deposition takes place and is not removed, it will
obstruct free flow, causing further deposition and finally
leading to the complete blocking of the sewer.
 It is given by the following shield formula:
 The self-cleansing velocity depends on the nature of suspended
matter in sewage and the size of sewer
Maximum Velocity
 The smooth interior surface of a sewer pipe gets scoured
due to continuous abrasion caused by the suspended solids
present in sewage.
 It is, therefore, necessary to limit the maximum velocity in
the sewer pipe.
 This limiting or non-scouring velocity will mainly depend
upon the material of the sewer
 Hydraulic formulas for design of sewers
 The flow of sewage is usually to be treated as open
channel flow except when it is specially designed to flow
under pressure.
 There are various empirical formulas, charts, diagrams
and graphs used to design the sewer.
 The charts, diagrams and graphs directly give all the
elements required in the sewer design.
 Hydraulic formulas for design of sewers
Common empirical formulas used in the design of
sewers:
 Chezy’s formula
 Bazin’s formula
 Manning’s
 Kutter’s
 Crimp and Bruges’
 Hazen and Williams’
Design procedure
 In the design of sewers, the following procedure is generally
adopted:
1. Formation of zones: the area to be served by the drainage
system is divided into different zones. The general layout of
roads is to be properly studied for the location of sewers. The
zones are marked on the map and the contours are also drawn
on the map.
2. Arrangement of sewers: The proposed arrangement for
sewers for different zones is then worked out. The low lying
areas are isolated and pumping stations are installed for them.
The flow of sewage starts from high level zones. The various
sewers such as branch sewers, main sewers, trunk sewers, are
marked on the map.
Design procedure
Design procedure
3. Quantity of sewage: Depending upon the type of sewer (i.e
separate or combined), the quantity of sewage is determined.
After proper study of variations in rate of sewage, a suitable
multiplying factor is applied to arrive at the quantity of
sewage for which sewer is to be designed.
4. Velocity of flow: a suitable value for the velocity of flow is
then determined. This value for the velocity of flow is then
determined. This value should fall between the minimum and
maximum limits: between self-cleansing and non-scouring
velocity.
5. Section of sewer: The section of sewer is then easily worked
out by the relation:
Q=AXV
6. Gradient: The slope of sewer line is worked out and
longitudinal sections of each sewer are drawn to suitable scale.
Illustrative example 8.1
A town has the following data:
• Population = 75000
• Rate of water supply = 250 l per head per day
• Manning coefficient n= 0.012
• Gradient S = 1 in 1200
• DWF = 1/3 of the maximum discharge
• Self-cleansing velocity = 0.75m/s
Assume additional data where necessary.

a) Design an outfall circular sewer of the separate system

b) Check and comment for the velocity of DWF
Illustrative example 8.1
Solution
 Design of an outfall circular sewer of the separate system
 Average DWF = 75000 * 250 / (24*60*60) = 217 l/s
 Maximum discharge = 3 * 217 = 651 l/s = 0.651 m3/s

Assuming sewer running full at maximum discharge

 V = 1/n R2/3 s1/2 , or V = Q/A and Hydraulic radius R = D/4

 This gives diameter d = 0.95 m

 b) Actual velocity of DWF : Q/A = 0.92 m/s
 This velocity is greater than self-cleansing velocity of 0.75 m/s.
So, design of sewer is Ok
Illustrative example 8.2
a) Calculate the velocity of flow in a sewer of diameter
1.2m. The sewer is laid at a gradient of 1 in 400. What
will be the discharge through this sewer when running
one-half full?
Assume n = 0.012 in Manning's formula.
b) The same as number a) when the sewer is running in full

c) Check the velocity of the flow.

SEWER APPURTENANCES
Sewer appurtenances are the various accessories on the sewerage
system and are necessary for the efficient operation :
 Man-holes: to enable a person to enter the sewer for
inspection, cleaning and flushing.
 Special Man-holes:
 Junction chambers: Man-hole constructed at the intersection of
two large sewers.
 Drop man-hole: When the difference in elevation is high
 Flushing man-holes: They are located at the head of a sewer to
flush out the deposits in the sewer with water.
 Lamp-holes: openings constructed on the straight sewer lines
between two man-holes which are far apart and permit the
insertion of a lamp into the sewer to find out obstructions
SEWER APPURTENANCES
 Street inlets: Street inlets are the openings through which
storm water is admitted and conveyed to the storm sewer
or combined sewer.
 Catch Basins: Catch basins are small settling chambers of
diameter 60 - 90 cm and 60 - 75 cm deep, which are
constructed below the street inlets.
 Inverted siphons: These are depressed portions of
sewers, which flow full under pressure more than the
atmospheric pressure due to flow line being below the
hydraulic grade line. They are constructed when a sewer
crosses a stream or deep cut or road or railway line.
  SEPTIC TANK
Refer to chap7
Review chap 8