Chapter 9

Valves & Fittings

• Valves are used to keep the flow of water under control.
• They help maintain pressure, prevent back flow, conserve water &
isolate segments of pipeline for maintenance & construction.
9.1: Valves

9.1.1: Purpose:
• Valves are provided in the pipelines:
1.To control the flow of water;
2.To isolate & drain pipeline sections for
test, inspection, cleaning and repairs;
3.To regulate pressures; and
4.To release or admit air in the pipelines
1. Sluice valve;

2. Reflux valve;

3. Safety valve;

4. Air valve; and

5. Drain valve
9.1.2: Types of Valves
1. Sluice Valves:
• These are also known as gate-valves or stop valves.
• These valve control the flow of water through pipes.
• These valves are cheaper, offers less resistance to the flow of water than
other valves.
• The entire distribution system is divided into blocks by providing these
valves at appropriate places
• They are provided in straight pipeline at 150-200m intervals.
• When two pipes lines intersect, valves are fixed in both sides of intersection.
• When sluice valve is closed, it shuts off water in a pipeline to enable to
undertake repairs in that particular block.
• The flow of water can be controlled by raising or lowering the handle or
wheel.
2. Check or Reflux Valves

• These valves are also known as non-return valves.

• A reflux valve is an automatic device which allows
water to go in one direction only.
• The swing type of reflux valve as shown in fig below
is widely used in practice.
• When the water moves in the direction of arrow,
the valve swings or rotates around the pivot and it is
kept in open position due to the pressure of water.
• When the flow of water in this direction ceases, the
water tries to flow in a backward direction.
• But this valve prevents passage of water in the reverse
direction
• Reflux valve is invariably placed in water pipe, which
obtain water directly from pump.
• When pump fails or stops, the water will not run back to
the pump and thus pumping equipments will be saved
from damage
3. Safety Valves
• Also called pressure relief valves
• Provided to keep the pressure in a pipeline below a
pre-determined value, and thus protect it against
possible danger of bursting due to excessive pressure
• When the pressure in a pipe exceeds a predetermined
value, the valve opens automatically & allows certain
amount of water to flow out from the pipe to waste,
thereby reducing the pressure in the pipe
• It consists of a spring loaded disc & located at every point where
pressure is likely to be maximum
• Often placed along the pipeline at low points where the pressures are
high
• Usually provided on the u/s side of a sluice valve so that the pipe lying
on the u/s side of the valve is relieved of water hammer pressure
resulting from the sudden closure of sluice valve
4. Air Valves
• These are automatic valves and are of two types
namely
1. Air inlet valves
2. Air relief valves
1. AIR INLET VALVES
• These valves open automatically and allow air to enter
into the pipeline so that the development of negative
pressure can be avoided in the pipelines.
• The vacuum pressure is created in the down stream
side in pipelines due to sudden closure of sluice
valves.
• This situation can be avoided by using the air inlet
valves.
• All water contains dissolved air. Normally this would be about
2% but it can vary largely depending on temperature and
pressure. Air trapped in the line in pockets is continually
moving in and out of solution.
• Air in the line not only reduces the flow by causing a restriction
but amplifies the effects of pressure surges. Air valves should be
placed in the line at sufficient intervals so that air can be
evacuated, or, if the line is drained, air can enter the line.
• Air valves should be placed along the pipeline at all high points
or significant changes in grade. On long rising grades or flat
runs where there are no significant high points or grade
changes, air valves should be placed at least every 500 – 1,000
metres at the engineer’s discretion.
2. AIR RELIEF VALVES
• Some times air is accumulated at the summit of
pipelines and blocks the flow of water due to air
lock.
• In such cases the accumulated air has to be
removed from the pipe lines.
• This is done automatically by means of air relief
valves.
• This valve consists of a chamber in which one or
two floats are placed and is connected to the pipe
line.
• When there is flow under pressure in the pipeline water occupies the
float chamber and makes the float to close the outlet.
• But where there is accumulation of air in the pipeline, air enters the
chamber, makes the float to come down, thus opening the outlet.
• The accumulated air is driven out through the outlet.
5. Drain Valves
• These are also called wash out valves or scour valves
• They are provided at all dead ends and depression of pipelines to drain
out the waste water.
• These are ordinary valves operated by hand.
• SCOUR VALVES
• These are similar to blow off valves.
• They are ordinary valves operated by hand.
• They are located at the depressions and dead ends to remove the
accumulated silt and sand.
• After the complete removal of silt; the valve is to be closed.
• Scour valves are located at low points or between valved
sections of the pipeline.
• Their function is to allow periodic flushing of the lines to
remove sediment and to allow the line to be drained for
maintenance and repair work.
• The scour valve should be sized to allow a minimum scour
velocity of 0.6 m/s to be achieved in the main pipe.
• Scour tees over nominal size 100 should be offset tees to
allow the debris to be taken from the invert of the pipe.
9.2: Fittings
9.2.1: Purpose:
• In every house, various types of fittings such as taps, bends, tees, sockets
etc. are required for the distribution & forming network of pipes inside
the houses
• These are appurtenances in the distribution system
 Stop Cocks
• It is a valve fitted at the end of communication pipe and it is under the
control of water supply authority.
• The purpose of stop cock is to stop the supply of water.
• Temporary disconnections are made at the stopcock while permanent
disconnections are made at ferrule.
Water Taps or Bib Cocks

• These are the water taps which are attached at the end of water pipes
and from which the consumers obtain water.
• It is operated from a handle, the water comes out from the opening.
• The bib cocks may also be of push type and they operate automatic.
• The bib cocks should be water tight.
• The leaky bib cocks are the source of waste of water.
• Figure below shows typical bob cock and table gives the idea of water
lost due to leaky bib cocks in continuous system of water supply.
wf/fsf] leqL efu / o;sf sfdx?

jfz/ xf]N8/ – jfz/ ;dfGg] efu

jfz/ – kfgL aGb ug]{ efu

jfz/ g6 – jfz/nfO{ c8\ofpg]
efu
6\ofk xfp; – dflysf ;fdfg x'g]
7fpF
Bends, Reducers, Tees etc
• In addition to the pipes, valves, taps, various types of pipe fittings such
as unions, caps, plugs, flanges, nipples, crosses, tees, elbows, bends etc
are used during laying of distribution pipes
• The common pipe fittings are shown in fig below:
Meters
9.3 Break Pressure Tank

• Purpose:
• It is a tank constructed in the distribution line to break the static
pressure if pipeline exceeds its maximum pressure rating so as to save
the pipe from bursting
• This tank allows the flow to discharge in the open atmosphere &
reduces the hydrostatic pressure to zero & establishes new static
pressure level
• For gravity-fed water supplies flowing over large
vertical distances, excessive internal pressures can
cause damage to pipes.
• The maximum internal pipe pressures occur at the
lowest points in the system, but break-pressure tanks
located above these can help to reduce that maximum
pressure.
• Break-pressure tanks are designed to allow the flow to
discharge into a tank with a free water surface in
contact with the atmosphere, reducing the hydrostatic
pressure to zero, relative to atmospheric pressure.
Construction

• A BPT is simply an interruption chamber (IC) with a float

valve connected to the inlet pipe
• A float valve allows the flow within the line to be non-
continuous:
• If the outlet flow decreases or stops, the water level
within the structure will rise until the float is lifted to a
level at which the inlet flow is shut off
• It may be rectangular, circular or square in plan & made of
masonry or RCC or ferrocement
• BPT has provision of a closed chamber with inlet, outlet,
overflow & a float valve to stop the wastage of water
 Sample design for a break-pressure tank

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9.4 Public Standpost
9.4.1 Purpose:
• To provide the community with a better quality of water
at a more convenient location than the existing
traditional source
• To reduce the fetching time of water
9.4.2 Location:
• Exact locations are determined during feasibility study &
detailed survey
• GoN guidelines:
• No user should have to walk more than 150m horizontally or 50m
vertically from their home to the tapstand
• Round trip time – 15 minutes
• 1 tapstand for 8 – 10 households

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• Tapstand area should be donated & considered to be
“public property”, under the control of user
committee
• Should be placed in a sunny area, near but not on the
main trail
• Should be away from large trees (roots can damage
structure) & areas of potential erosion
• Area where proper drainage can be provided

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9.4.3: Flows:
• Average tap flow – 0.10 lps

• Maximum tap flow – 0.25 lps

• If Qpeak > 0.25 lps, more than one faucet is to be provided

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9.4.4 Construction
• Materials of construction – brick, stone masonry,
concrete
• GI valve box should always be located behind the
tapstand and buried
• Concrete failure is most commonly located at the
tapstand drain due to the constant impact of the
faucet flow
• A plumb bob is used to locate the approximate
point at which the flow will impact the tapstand
platform
• A 20 cmx20 cm drain with a rebar strainer is
centered at this location

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• A large stone is placed at the bottom of drain to
absorb the impact of water
• Wastewater drain – create a watering trough for
animals
• Several agencies mold the figure of god or goddess
into the tapstand post to promote respect for the
structure

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 • The design should also take account of the following
points all of which apply to the local situation in Nepal,
a. There should be a hole under the tap through which water
can drain.
b. Waste water should be used for cattle or small gardens.
There should be a waste pipe to bring the water to a pond.
This pond should be at least 50m from the stand pipe to
prevent pollution. It should be constructed at the same
time as the standpost itself.
c. There should be enough space around the drainage hole
to allow people to wash clothes on the tap stand floor.

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d. The tap stand floor should be built with big, flat stones pointed
at the joints.
e. The sides of the stand post pillar should be built in such a way
that there will be a flat surface on which baskets, loads or
gagros can be placed.
These surfaces should be done in dry masonry.
f. The tap should be at a height of about 1.20 meters.
g. The faucet (tap) should be at 25mm. from the pillar, to allow a
wide-rimmed gagro to be filled with water.

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9.5 Maintenance of w/s system
9.5.1 Necessity:
• Maintenance may be defined as the repairing of the
damaged things whereas protection is the proper use &
supervision of things
• Proper protection reduces maintenance
• Proper protection & timely maintenance of cracks,
corroded and clogged pipes & fittings, damaged
components makes water supply system sustainable

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9.5.2 Methods
• As per repair work, maintenance can be categorized as
follows:
1. Preventive maintenance:
• During rainy season – accumulated sediments may
damage source, pipes may be exposed, broken
• In such cases, construction of protective walls,
plantation, construction of catch drains should be done
to protect from further damage
• Such types of work is called preventive maintenance

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 2. Emergency maintenance
• During floods, landslides or natural disasters,
the source, tanks, pipes, valves, and other
components of water supply system may get
damaged
• In such cases, immediate maintenance is
needed for re-supply
• Such types of maintenance is called
emergency maintenance
• It may be costlier

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3. Regular maintenance
• Pipe & valve leakage, clogging of pipes, tap break,
pipe exposure, infrastructure damage etc may occur
during the regular operation of a water supply
system
• Such type of problems should be solved
immediately by cleaning or replacing, which is
called regular maintenance
• If damage is major, it may be costlier

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Protection works
1. Source: plantation work, fencing, keeping
cleanliness around the source, making catch
drains etc.
2. Tanks and valves: protection of storage tank,
sedimentation tank, valves etc by fencing,
regular cleaning, proper outflow management
etc.
3. Pipeline: regular checks, filling of exposed
pipes immediately, plantation to protect from
probable landslides etc.

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4. Taps: includes protection of water tap, tap stand
and platform from children, wastewater
management, fencing etc.
5. Tools, equipments and plants: proper use, storage
& cleaning of tools, equipments used in regular
operation & maintenance of the system

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Maintenance works
1. Intake & collection chamber: maintenance of
walls, cleaning or replacement of inlets,
valves & screens, fencing, construction of
catch drains etc.
2. Tanks: includes maintenance of all tanks such
as BPT, sedimentation tank, distribution tank
etc, tank wall maintenance, valves cleaning or
replacement, leakage maintenance, fencing,
plantation, protection from cattle etc

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 3. Valves & valve chambers: valve chamber wall
maintenance, cleaning or repair or replacement of
valves etc.
4. Tap & tapstand: cleaning or repairing or replacement
of water tap and washers, tap stand repair, platform
repair, protection of tap stand by plantation & earth
filling, proper wastewater management, protection
from children etc.
5. Pipeline & fittings: includes filling of exposed pipes,
making cascades for proper draining, repairing
leakage of pipes & fittings, cleaning of clogged pipes
& valves, replacing broken portion of pipes etc.

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