. Design of plumbing systems for multi-storey buildings 14.

DESIGN OF PLUMBING
SYSTEMS FOR MULTI -STOREY BUILDINGS For plumbing purposes, the term multistorey is applied to buildings that are too tall to be supplied throughout by the
normal pressure in the public water mains. These buildings have particular needs in
the design of their sanitary drainage and venting systems. Water main supply
pressures of 812 metres (25 40 feet) can supply a typical two-storey building, but
higher buildings may need pressure booster systems. In hilly areas, the drinkingwater supply pressures will vary depending on the ground elevation. In these cases,
the water authority may have to specify areas where particular supply pressures
can be relied upon for the design and operation of buildings. Where a building of
three or more storeys is proposed a certificate should be obtained from the
drinking-water supply authority guaranteeing that the present and future public
drinking-water supply pressure will be adequate to serve the building. If the public
water pressure is inadequate, suitable means shall be provided within the building
to boost the water pressure. 14.1 Systems for boosting water pressure Pressureboosting systems can be of several different types: pumping from a ground level
or basement gravity tank to a gravity roof tank; pumping from a gravity storage
tank or public water main into a hydropneumatic pressure tank that uses captive air
pressure to provide adequate drinking-water supply pressure; installation of
booster pump sets consisting of multiple staged pumps or variable speed pumps
that draw water directly from a gravity storage tank or the public water main.
Multistage booster pump sets typically include discharge pressure regulating valves
to maintain a constant drinking-water supply pressure. Written approval should be
obtained from the appropriate authority before any pump or booster is connected to
the supply. Where booster pump sets are permitted to draw directly from public
water mains, the public drinking-water supply must be adequate to meet the peak
demands of all buildings in the area. Otherwise, there is a high risk of backflow and
subsequent contamination of the mains from buildings not equipped with a booster
pump. Building booster HEALTH ASPECTS OF PLUMBING 72 73 pumps are not a
solution to the problem of inadequate drinking-water supply. Where public drinkingwater supply systems are overburdened and cannot provide adequate pressure on a
continuous basis, water must be stored on site during periods when adequate
pressure is available to fill a gravity storage tank. The size of the storage tank will
vary according to the daily water demand of the building, and the availability of
adequate pressure available in the public water mains. It should not be excessively
oversized to avoid stagnation due to inadequate turnover. Multi-storey buildings can
usually be divided into zones of water pressure control. The lower two to three
storeys can generally be supplied directly from the pressure in the public water
main. Upper storeys, usually in groups of five to eight storeys, can be supplied from
pressure-boosted main risers through a pressure reduction valve for each group.
Systems can be up-fed or down-fed. Up-fed systems usually originate from a
pressure booster pump set or hydropneumatic tank in the basement of the building.
Down-fed systems usually originate from a rooftop gravity tank. Where a building is
divided into water pressure zones, care must be taken not to cross-connect the
piping between two or more zones. This is a particular problem when domestic hot
water is recirculated from a central supply system. Where hydropneumatic tanks are
used for storage, the tank is filled to one third to a half full by a float level device

that controls the drinking-water supply source (a well pump or pressure booster
pump). The pressure is maintained at the desired operating level by an air
compressor. As the building uses water from the tank, the water level and air
pressure drop. When the water level drops to the on setting of the float level
control, the well pump or booster pump starts and raises the water level in the tank
to the off level. This restores the pressure in the tank. If some of the captive air
above the water has been absorbed by the water, the air compressor starts and
restores the air charge, raising the system pressure to the normal level.
Hydropneumatic tanks are typically made of steel or fibreglass and must be rated
for the system operating pressure. Steel tanks must have a protective coating of
suitable composition for drinking-water contact on the inside to protect the tank
from corrosion and avoid contaminating the water. They should be checked on a
regular basis to ensure that the protective coating is intact and the water remains
potable. Smaller hydropneumatic tanks can also be used to help control pressure
booster pumps, allowing them to be cycled on and off by a pressure switch. The
captive air within the tank keeps the system pressurized while the pump is off.
When the water pressure drops to the on pressure setting, the pump starts and
raises the volume and pressure of the water in the tank. No air compressor is
needed where tanks have a flexible diaphragm between the air and the water in the
tank, charged with air at initial start-up. The size of pressure tanks for booster
pumps must match the capacity of the pump and the peak system HEALTH ASPECTS
OF PLUMBING 72 73 demand so that the pump off cycle is longer than the on
cycle and the pump does not cycle too frequently. 14.2 Drainage systems 14.2.1
Drainage system considerations In the drainage system for a multi-storey building,
the drains from the plumbing fixtures are connected to vertical drain stacks that
convey the waste and sewage to below the lowest floor of the building. The fixture
drain traps must be vented to prevent their water trap seal from being siphoned by
negative pressure or blown out by positive pressure in the drain piping. The fixture
vent pipes must extend through the roof to outdoors. They can be run individually
or be combined into one or more vents through the roof. Where buildings are over
10 storeys high, the drainage stacks require relief vent connections at specified
intervals from the top, and connected to a vent stack that terminates above the
roof. This relieves and equalizes the pressure in the drainage stack to maintain the
water seal in traps serving plumbing fixtures. Wherever possible, the sanitary
drainage system from a building should discharge to the public sewer by gravity. All
plumbing fixtures located below ground level should be pumped into the public
sewer or the drainage system leading to the sewer. The pump line should be as
short as possible and looped up to a point not less than 0.6 metres (24 inches)
above ground level to prevent backsiphonage of sewage. The pump discharge rate
should be controlled so as not to cause scouring of the internal bore of the pump
line or the drainage or sewer system into which it discharges. High-velocity
discharge rates may also cause the flooding of adjoining plumbing fixtures or
overloading of the sewer itself. The sump pits for sewage pumps must have sealed
covers, be vented to outdoors and have automatic level controls and alarms.
Sewage pumps in multiple dwellings and in multi-storey dwellings should be duplex,
with each pump having 100% of the required pumping capacity for the building.
Alternatively, an approved vacuum drainage system may be considered. 14.2.2

Vacuum drainage systems In a vacuum drainage system, the differential pressure

between the atmosphere and the vacuum becomes the driving force that propels
the wastewater towards the vacuum station. Table 14.1 provides a summary of the
advantages and disadvantages of vacuum drainage systems. Table 14.2 provides
information on specific installation and operation requirements. Vacuum drainage
systems should be considered when one or more of the following conditions exist:
water shortage; limited sewerage capacity; where separation of black water and
greywater is desired; where drainage by gravity becomes impractical; 14. DESIGN
OF PLUMBING SYSTEMS FOR MULTI -STOREY BUILDINGS HEALTH ASPECTS OF
PLUMBING 74 75 TABLE 14.1 ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF VACUUM
SYSTEMS (VERSUS GRAVITY SYSTEMS) Advantages Disadvantages Low installation
costs High component costs Environmentally safe Mechanical components
possibility of failure Electrical power only required at vacuum station Skilled design,
installation and maintenance required Always self-cleansing Regular maintenance
required No possibility of vermin in pipelines Standby facilities required Possible
water-saving technique if vacuum toilets used Require area for situation of vacuum
tanks and vacuum High water velocities prevent deposits in pipework generation
equipment Minimal risk of leakage High-velocity wate