DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS

2.1
Up-feed distribution involves the distribution of water under the pressure
available at the water main or from pressure tanks fed by pumped wells:
2.1.1 Up-feed systems are primarily used in low-rise buildings;
2.1.2 Water pressure available at the main must be greater than 103 kPa
(15 psi);
2.1.3 Otherwise, pressure available at main shall exceed losses due to (a)
flow through meter, (b) fiction in piping, and (c) height of water column in order to
provide proper flow pressure to the highest fixture.
Pumped Up-feed Distribution utilizes pumps to supply the additional pressure
required:
2.2.1 Water must first be collected in low-level storage tanks (because
direct connection of pumps to the water main is illegal in Jamaica);
2.2.2 Pumped up-feed systems are primarily used in medium-rise buildings;
2.2.3 Back-up generators must be provided to allow distribution of water
during a power outage.
2.3
Down-feed distribution involves the pumping of water to upper level storage
tanks which gravity feed to plumbing fixtures:
2.3.1 Static Pressure is the pressure exerted by a column of water by virtue
of its depth below its stationary head;
2.3.2 Tanks shall be elevated in order to provide the static pressure needed
on the floor immediately below;
2.3.3 With insufficient head, tanks can be pneumatically charged with an
air compressor to attain the required pressure:
2.3.3.1
Air-charged pneumatic pumping systems result in
greater levels of dissolved air which may result in an undesirable fizz on
discharge;
2.3.3.2

Dissolved oxygen increases corrosiveness of the water

supply.
2.3.4 Water distribution for high-rise buildings should be divided into zones
up to 45 m (150 ft.) high:
2.3.4.1

Static pressure beyond this height can damage plumbing

fixtures;
2.3.4.2
Each zone must be served by independent distribution
systems and plumbing.

Galvanized iron pipes are actually steelpipes that are covered

with a protective layer of zinc. Galvanized pipes were installed
in many homes that were built before the 1960s. Over many
years, zinc erodes from galvanized pipes.
Polyvinyl chloride, more correctly but unusually poly(vinyl
chloride), commonly abbreviated PVC, is the third-most widely
produced synthetic plastic polymer,
after polyethylene and polypropylene.[4]
PVC comes in two basic forms: rigid (sometimes abbreviated as RPVC) and flexible. The rigid form
of PVC is used in construction for pipe and in profile applications
such as doors and windows. It is also used for bottles, other nonfood packaging, and cards (such as bank or membership cards). It
can be made softer and more flexible by the addition of plasticizers,
the most widely used beingphthalates. In this form, it is also used in
plumbing, electrical cable insulation, imitation leather, signage,
inflatable products, and many applications where it replaces rubber.
[5]

Pure poly(vinyl chloride) is a white, brittle solid. It is insoluble in

alcohol but slightly soluble in tetrahydrofuran.

Polybutylene Piping
Polybutylene piping is a low-cost piping formed of plastic
resin. It is commonly gray, white, or sometimes black in
color. Poly piping is employed as a substitute for copper
piping in both underground water mains and interior
plumbing. Due to the ease of installing poly piping, it
was used in the construction of millions of homes
throughout the U.S. between 1978 and 1995; however,
it has been discovered that as poly pipe ages and reacts
with water-soluble oxidants, it begins to degrade and
can leak, causing severe damage to the surrounding
building structure.
The presence of polybutylene pipe can severely affect a homes value on the
real estate market. Poly pipe generally takes 10-15 years to begin to show signs of
severe deterioration; therefore it is important to know what problems can be caused
by its presence, and what can be done about it before it does pose a risk.

Polyethylene (PE) pipe manufacture commenced in Australia in the

1950s with small diameter pipes used for rural, irrigation and
industrial applications. Since then, PE use and the number of
applications for PE pipes has grown enormously, due to its versatility
and the advantages it offers over iron, steel and cement systems.
The flexibility of PE pipe allows cost savings in installation. Trenchless
technology can avoid the need for open trenches and reduce the
disturbance to the public and environment by pulling long lengths of
PE pipes through holes below ground bored by mechanical moles. PE
is often used in renovation of old pipelines as it can be readily
inserted as a structural lining into an old pipeline. PEs resistance to
ground instability means that PE gas and water systems were the only systems to survive the major
earthquakes in Kobe, Japan in 1995.
PE pipe can be supplied in straight lengths or in coils, reducing the need for joints and fittings. PE pipes
can be jointed using butt and electrofusion techniques or using mechanical fittings.

Copper pipe is almost pure copper manufactured to the

requirements of ASTM B 42 - Standard Specification for
Seamless Copper Pipe, Standard Sizes. It may be
manufactured from any of five (5) copper alloys
(C10200, C10300, C10800, C12000, C12200) that all
conform to the chemical composition requirements of
alloys containing a minimum of 99.9% Copper (Cu) and
a maximum of 0.04% Phosphorous (P). Available sizes
are 1/8" to 12" diameters in regular wall thickness and
1/8" to 10" in extra strong wall thickness. The standard
length for copper pipe is 12 feet. Copper pipe is suitable for plumbing, boiler feed
lines, refrigeration and for similar purposes. Joints in seamless copper pipe can be
threaded, flanged or brazed to fittings of the appropriate
joint configuration.
Copper tubing is most often used for supply of hot and cold tap
water, and as refrigerant line in HVAC systems. There are two basic
types of copper tubing, soft copper and rigid copper. Copper tubing
is joined using flare connection, compression connection, or solder.
Copper offers a high level of corrosion resistance, but is becoming
very costly.
In plumbing and piping, a nipple is a fitting, consisting of a short
piece of pipe, usually provided with a male pipe thread at each end,
for connecting two other fittings.

A coupling (or coupler) (used in piping or plumbing) is a very short length of pipe or tube, with a
socket at one or both ends that allows two pipes or tubes to be
joined, welded (steel), brazed or soldered (copper, brass etc.) together.
An elbow is a pipe fitting installed between two lengths of pipe or tubing to allow a change of
direction, usually a 90 or 45 angle, though 22.5 elbows are also made. The ends may be
machined for butt welding, threaded (usually female), or socketed, etc.
Reducing elbow is a fitting that makes an angle between two joints of pipe and that
decreases in diameter from one end to the other.
A street elbow (sometimes called a street ell or service ell) is a type of plumbing or piping
;fitting intended to join a piece of pipe and another fitting at an angle. The difference between a
street elbow and a regular elbow is the nature of the connections on either end.
A tee is the most common pipe fitting. It is available with all female thread sockets, all solvent weld
sockets, or with opposed solvent weld sockets and a side outlet with female threads. It is used to
either combine or split a fluid flow. It is a type of pipe fitting which is T-shaped having two outlets, at
90 to the connection to the main line. It is a short piece of pipe with a lateral outlet.
The primary purpose of a Tee is to make a 90 branch from the main run of pipe.
Standard there are 2 possibilities, on behalf of the equal tee and reducing tee. The
equal tee (or straight tee) is used as the branch has the same diameter as the run-pipe.
The reducing tee is used as the branch has a smaller diameter as the run-pipe.

Water service
In a house, there are four plumbing systems enabling
water to circulate: hot and cold water distribution, pipe
ventilation and wastewater evacuation wherein there is
a water service pipe - Pipe connecting a public water
supply to the house.
water meter
Device for gauging the amount of water consumed by a
household. In many developed countries water meters
are used to measure the volume of water used by
residential and commercial building that are supplied
with water by a public water supply system.
Riser
Is a water supply pipe which extend vertically one full
storey or more to convey water to branches of fixtures.

Fixture branches Is a pipe connecting several fixtures

Valves and controls are device that regulates, directs or controls

the flow of a fluid (gases, liquids, fluidized solids, or slurries) by
opening, closing, or partially obstructing various passageways.
Valves are technically fittings, but are usually discussed as a
separate category. In an open valve, fluid flows in a direction from
higher pressure to lower pressure.

a broken water control valve stem can obstruct or

block water flow through the valve. Globe valves
(below left) tend to most restrict water flow
compared with the gate valve (center) and ball valve
(right). But a broken stem on a gate valve can also leave the valve stuck partly
or even fully closed (or open), regardless of how you may be able to turn the
valve handle.

Storage tanks are containers that hold liquids, compressed gases

(gas tank) or mediums used for the short- or long-term storage of
heat or cold.[1] The term can be used for reservoirs (artificial lakes
and ponds), and for manufactured containers. The usage of the
word tank for reservoirs is uncommon in American English but is
moderately common in British English. In other countries, the term
tends to refer only to artificial containers.

Other types of tank

Atmospheric
An atmospheric tank is a container for holding a liquid at atmospheric pressure. The major design
code for welded atmospheric tanks are API 650 and API 620. API 653 is used for analysis of inservice storage tanks.

High pressure
In the case of a liquefied gas such as hydrogen or chlorine, or a compressed gas such
as compressed natural gas or MAPP, the storage tank must be made to withstand the sometimes
immense pressures exerted by the contents. These tanks may be called cylinders and,
being pressure vessels, are sometimes excluded from the class of "tanks".

Thermal storage tanks

One form of seasonal thermal energy storage (STES) is the use of large surface water tanks that are
insulated and then covered with earth berms to enable the year-round of solar-thermal heat that is
collected primarily in the summer for all-year heating.[3] A related technology has become widespread
in Danish district heating systems. The thermal storage medium is gravel and water in large, shallow,
lined pits that are covered with insulation, soil and grass.[4]
Ice and slush tanks are used for short-term of cold for use in air conditioning, allowing refrigeration
equipment to be run at night when electric power is less expensive, yet provide cooling during hot
daytime hours.

Milk tank
In dairy farming a bulk milk cooling tank is a large storage tank for cooling and holding milk at a cold
temperature until it can be picked up by a milk hauler. The bulk milk cooling tank is an important milk
farm equipment. It is usually made of stainless steel and used every day to store the raw milk on the
farm in good condition. It must be cleaned after each milk collection. The milk cooling tank can be
the property of the farmer or being rented to the farmer by the dairy plant.

Septic tank
A septic tank is part of a small scale sewage treatment system often referred to as a septic system,.
It consists of the tank and a septic drain field. Waste water enters the tank where solids can settle

and scum floats. Anaerobic digestion occurs on the settled solids, reducing the volume of solids. The
water released by the system is normally absorbed by the drain field without needing any further
treatment.

Mobile "storage" tanks

While not strictly a "storage" tank, mobile tanks share many of the same features of storage tanks.
Also, they must be designed to deal with a heavy sloshing load and the risk of collision or other
accident. Some of these include ocean-going oil tankers and LNG carriers; railroad tank cars; and
the road and highway traveling tankers. Also included are theholding tanks which are the tanks that
store toilet waste on RVs and boats.