BUILDING

`
WATER SYSTEM
AND
DESIGN
Cagud, Mongcal, Ponce, Semillano
 AES2E | SEPTEMBER

MAIN
2020
1. Building Supply
 is also referred to as water service.
PARTS  is a large water supply pipe that carries potable
water from a water system or other water source to
OF the building.

A 2. Water Meter
 is required by most district water supply systems to

WATER measure and record the amount of water used.

SUPPLY
SYSTE
 AES2E | SEPTEMBER

MAIN
2020
3. Building Main
 is a large pipe that serves as the principal route of
PARTS the water supply system.
 carries water through the building to the furthest
OF riser.
 is located in a basement, in a ceiling, in a crawl

A space, or below the concrete floor slab.

WATER 4. Riser
 is a water supply pipe that extends vertically in the
building at least one story and carries water to
SUPPLY fixture branches.
 is connected to the building main.
SYSTE
 AES2E | SEPTEMBER
2020
MAIN 5. Fixture Branch
 is any part of a piping system other than the
PARTS riser or main pipe.
 supplies the individual plumbing fixtures.
OF  is usually run in the floor or in the wall behind
the fixtures.
A 6. Fixture Connection
WATER  runs from the fixture branch to the fixture, the
terminal point of use in a plumbing system.
SUPPLY  a shut-off valve is located in the hot and cold
water supply at the fixture connection.
SYSTEM
 GENERAL WATER DISTRIBUTION
SYSTEM LAYOUT
 The water service pipe is an underground pipe that is typically called a
lateral. It extends from the underground street main and delivers
pressurized potable water to a building plumbing system.

 The water service lateral is connected to a water meter that measures

consumption.

 The water meter is located in an underground curb box located in the

building’s front yard or is located in the building interior, in which case
it is connected to a remote readout on the exterior of the building, which
allows easy access for meter readings.
 AES2E | SEPTEMBER
2020

Rigid-Pipe Distribution Configuration

 AES2E | SEPTEMBER
2020

Basic Parts of a Commercial Rigid-Pipe Distribution Configuration

 RIGID-PIPE DISTRIBUTION
CONFIGURATION
 Fixture branches extend from a riser or main to the individual fixture being
connected. A fixture branch is usually run in the floor or in the wall behind
the fixtures.

 The hot and cold water distribution pipes are installed parallel to one
another as they convey hot and cold water to risers and branch pipes.

 Running pipes parallel with building walls and floors arrange pipes in an
organized manner. Hot and cold pipes should be spaced at least 6 in (150
mm) apart or have insulation placed between them to prevent heat
interchange.
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2020
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2020
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2020
 HOMERUN (MANIFOLD)
DISTRIBUTION CONFIGURATION
 A homerun or manifold distribution configuration consists of a plastic
or metal plumbing manifold and flexible plastic piping.

 The manifold serves as a common location from which all the plumbing
fixtures are supplied. A water line dedicated to each fixture originates at the
manifold and extends to the individual fixture.

 Manifolds have two separate chambers:

1. the cold water chamber (supplied from the water supply line)
2. the hot water chamber (fed from the water heater)
AES2E | SEPTEMBER
2020
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2020
 UPFEED AND DOWNFEED
DISTRIBUTION
 Two basic types of water supply distribution systems are used in buildings:

1. Upfeed system
 In a conventional upfeed system, water pressure from the water supply main
is relied on to drive water flow through the system.
 Water pressure in building water supply mains ranges from 40 to 80 psi (275
to 550 kPa), with 80 psi (550 kPa) considered the upper limit for most
systems plumbed with metal pipe and 40 psi the upper limit for plastic pipe.
 UPFEED AND DOWNFEED
DISTRIBUTION
 This available pressure places limits on how far water can be driven upward
in a plumbing system.

 Part of the available pressure is expended in friction losses as the water

passes through the meter and the various pipes and fittings; and part of the
pressure is expended to overcome gravity. Additionally, there must be
sufficient pressure left at the remote fixture to drive flow of water through
the fixture.

 In tall buildings, water must be supplied through a pumped upfeed

distribution system.
 UPFEED AND DOWNFEED
DISTRIBUTION
2. Downfeed system
 In buildings that cannot be adequately serviced to the top floor by an upfeed
system, water is pumped to elevated storage tanks in, or on, the building, and
the water is fed down into the building by gravity.

 This is a gravity system, fed from the upper stories to the lower.
UPFEED AND DOWNFEED
DISTRIBUTION
 AES2E | SEPTEMBER
2020

WATER PRESSURE
CONSIDERATION

 Hydrostatic Pressure
 Water Pressure
 Pressure Difference From Elevation (Static Head)
 Pressure Difference
 Pressure Losses from Friction
 1. Water Velocity
 Noise, erosion of inner pipe walls and valves,
and economy of installation, operation, and

WATER maintenance dictate the minimum and

maximum water velocity in a plumbing system;
as a result, these have a bearing on pipe
SUPPLY diameter.

DESIGN  If pipe diameters are small, the cost is low but

noise, erosion, and pumping costs are high.
CONCERN  If pipe diameters are large, they reduce noise
S erosion and pumping costs, but result in high
installation costs.
 2. Cavitation
 Cavitation is a physical phenomenon that occurs
in a liquid when it experiences a drastic drop

WATER in pressure that causes the liquid to vaporize

into small vapor bubbles.

SUPPLY 3. Cross-Connections
 A cross-connection is an unsatisfactory
DESIGN connection or arrangement of piping that can
cause non-potable water to enter the potable
CONCERN water system.

S  It can cause used or contaminated water to mix

with the water supply.
 4. Backflow
 Backflow occurs when contaminated water or
some other liquid or substance unintentionally

WATER flows backwards into distribution pipes

containing potable water.

SUPPLY 5. Water Hammer

 In a plumbing supply system, the sudden
DESIGN closing of a valve will cause fast-flowing water
to stop quickly, resulting in a large increase in
CONCERN pressure.

S
 Air Chambers
WATER  are installed vertically above the fixture water
connection and are concealed in the wall.
SUPPLY  Air is trapped within the air chamber. The
trapped air is compressible, which cushions the
DESIGN pressure surge as the valve is closed and
absorbs the hydraulic shock.

CONCERN Water Hammer Arrestors

S  are patented devices that absorb hydraulic

shock. Such devices, when installed, must be
accessible for maintenance.
 6. Thermal Expansion
 must be considered in the design of the system.
The amount of expansion will depend on the

WATER type of piping material and the range of

temperatures that the pipe will be subjected.

SUPPLY 7. Viscosity
 As water flows through a pipe, its viscosity
DESIGN decreases with temperature decrease.

CONCERN  Water at 40°F is twice as viscous as water at

90°F. As a result, pumping energy and cost are
S higher when water temperatures are lower.
 8. Aging
 As pipes in a plumbing system are used, their
inner walls become increasingly rough.

WATER  is related to piping material, quality of water,

and water temperature

SUPPLY 9. Pipe Insulation

 is applied to the outer walls of piping to reduce
DESIGN heat loss from the pipe or prevent
condensation on the outside pipe walls.
CONCERN
 Foam and covered fiberglass insulation are
S common pipe insulation materials.
 10. Testing
 The water supply system should be tested for
leaks before it is covered with finish materials

WATER to determine if it is watertight.

SUPPLY  Tests run on water systems require that it be

watertight under a hydrostatic water pressure of
125 psi for a minimum of 1 hr.
DESIGN
11. Leaks
CONCERN  contribute to water consumption.
 A leak of just one drop per second will waste
S about 2700 gal (10,200 L) of water a year.
 AES2E | SEPTEMBER
2020

11. Leaks (cont.)

 also create an environment for mold and
WATER mildew to thrive.

SUPPLY  can develop from substandard piping,

improper use of materials, poor workmanship,

DESIGN and improper design.

CONCERN
S
 AES2E | SEPTEMBER
2020

WATER SUPPLY
DESIGN
METHODS
 Flow Rates
 Water Consumption
 Water Demand
 AES2E | SEPTEMBER
2020

Simple Empirical Design Method

 Pipe sizes for the water supply system of a single-family
house and similar simple structures can be determined on
the basis of experience and pertinent code
requirements.

 Detailed analysis is not necessary in the design of simple

systems. The fixture fed by the branch will influence
branch pipe diameter. Pipe diameter is determined by the
pipe size serving the fixture.
 AES2E | SEPTEMBER
2020

Simple Empirical Design Method

 In the empirical design method, piping is sized with rules
of thumb based on observation and experience.

For example, the mains that serve fixture branches can

be sized as follows:
 Up to three 1 ⁄2 inch branches can be served by a 3 ⁄4 inch
main
 Up to three 3 ⁄4 inch branches or up to six 1 ⁄2 inch
branches can be served by a 1 inch main
 Up to five 3 ⁄4 inch branches or up to ten 1 ⁄2 inch
branches can be served by a 11 ⁄4 inch main

 AES2E | SEPTEMBER
2020

WSFU Design Table Method

 In residential and small commercial buildings, WSFU
design tables can be used to establish meter and
distribution pipe size based on the total demand in
WSFUs and the supply pressure.

 Meter and distribution pipe can be sized using the

following methods:
1. Obtain minimum service water pressure for the location of
construction. Usually this is available through the municipal
water department.
 AES2E | SEPTEMBER
2020

WSFU Design Table Method(con.t)

2. Compute the total WSFUs, including proposed and
projected future plumbing fixtures.
3. Calculate the maximum developed length of water piping.
Developed length can be approximated by multiplying the
actual length to the most remote fixture by 1.2 to compensate
for loss of meter and fittings.
4. Compute the static head and subtract it from the service
water pressure. Static head (ΔPstatic) is found by
multiplying the vertical height (Z), in feet or meters:
•static head, in psi, ΔPstatic= -0.433Z
•static head, in kPa, ΔPstatic= - 9.8Z
 AES2E | SEPTEMBER
2020

WSFU Design Table Method(con.t)

5. Use Table 13.10 to determine the meter and distribution
pipe sizing based on the total demand in WSFUs, maximum
developed length of water piping, and the supply pressure
(the available static pressure after static head loss).
 AES2E | SEPTEMBER
2020

Velocity Design Method

 entails selecting the smallest pipe diameter without
exceeding a pre-established maximum velocity for the
design load in the pipe.

 is used accurately in a downfeed system and works well in

the preliminary design of a plumbing system.

 This method does require an investigation of pressure

loss to ensure that residual pressure at the most remote
fixture is adequate.
 AES2E | SEPTEMBER
2020

Velocity Design Method

1. Sum the total number of WSFUs for hot water and cold
water.
 Velocity Design Method
2. Determine maximum probable demand in gpm.
3. Based on the maximum desired velocity and design load
(Q), solve for the minimum required diameter (Di-min)

 
𝐷𝑖− 𝑚𝑖𝑛 =√ ( 0.409 ) 𝑄 / 𝑣
 
𝐷𝑖− 𝑚𝑖𝑛 =√ ( 21.22 ) 𝑄 / 𝑣
 AES2E | SEPTEMBER
2020

Velocity Design Method (cont.)

4. Select a pipe size for the appropriate pipe material with an
inside diameter equal to or greater than the minimum required
diameter.
 AES2E | SEPTEMBER
2020

Equal Friction Design Method

 is a more accurate approach to sizing the pipe diameter
in a complex network of pipes, but usually requires several
iterations before pipe diameters are selected.

 It is necessary to determine the total pressure drop

required between the water service and the fixture and
equate this to a pressure drop per 100 ft over the
equivalent length of the pipe.
 AES2E | SEPTEMBER
2020

Equal Friction Design Method

Pressure available - pressure head and desired pressure
= desired pressure drop

1. Find the volumetric flow rate along the side of the chart.
2. Move horizontally across the chart to the pipe diameters
and, for specific nominal diameters, note associated pressure
drops and velocities.
 Equal Friction Design Method

3. Select a pipe diameter having the desired pressure drop

(including fittings).
 AES2E | SEPTEMBER
2020

Water Temperature
Cold Water Chilled Water
 Water from shallow underground  When chilled water is desired, such
water service lines enters the as from a drinking fountain; in this
building at a temperature that case, a chiller is used to cool the
fluctuates with climate, season, and water to a temperature of about
location of the water service line. 50°F (10°C) before it is used.

 A chiller is a vapor compression

refrigeration system that cools
water much like a refrigerator
 AES2E | SEPTEMBER
2020
Heated/Hot Water
 is potable water that is heated to at
least 120°F (49°C) . Tempered Water
 Heated water below 120°F is called  is a blend of hot and cold water
tempered water. that is mixed at a thermostatic
valve.
 Hot water used for household  is used in applications requiring
functions is referred to as domestic low-temperature hot water.
hot water (DHW).
 Hot water used in nondomestic  An antiscald shower valve is a
applications is referred to as type of thermostatic valve required
building service hot water in residential showers.
(BSHW).