PLUMBING

Safe water supply and hygienic sanitation facilities are the two basic essential
amenities the community needs on a top priority for healthy living.

Plumbing system broadly involves transmission of fluid under gravity or

pressure through the conduits.

These conduits or pipelines are major investments in any projects.

Therefore pipe materials shall have to be judiciously selected not only from
the point of view of durability, life and overall cost which includes, besides the
pipe cost, the installation and maintenance costs necessary to ensure the
required function and performance of the pipe line throughout its designed
life time.

Hence special care has to be taken while selecting the pipe materials for
plumbing works.
THE TECHNICAL FACTORS THAT AFFECT THE FINAL CHOICES
OF PIPE MATERIALS ARE

The initial carrying capacity of the pipe and its reduction with usage defined as
Hazen-Williams co-efficient C

Working and test pressure including surge pressure

Strength of pipe to withstand the internal and external loads

Durability of pipe

Extent of possible leakage

Noise transmission

Resistance to corrosion

Flow characteristics

Water tightness of material

Resistance to acid, alkalies, gases, solvents etc.

The choice of material for a pipe depends on internal pressures,
operating conditions, maximum permissible diameters, external
corrosion and any other special condition of lying.

The selection of materials for the pipe is done on the following considerations

Carrying capacities of the pipe.

Durability and life of the pipe.

Qualities of water to be conveyed

Maintenance cost, repair, etc.

Cost

Resistance to corrosion

Ease to transportation.
 Plumbing system are broadly classified as

WATER SUPPLY SYSTEM

SEWERAGE NETWORK SYSTEM

WATER SUPPLY SYSTEM

Factors to be considered before selection of pipe materials are as follows

Type of application that is for domestic, industrial or for any specific process purposes

Type of building in which plumbing to be carried out like hotels, commercials, residential,
industries

Type of weather conditions in the area like coastal area or rainy area or dry weather area
etc.

Water quality to be supplied in the pipe like hard water or soft water or cold water or hot
water

Economics of the project

Plumbing materials for water supply are broadly classified as

Metallic pipes (CI, DI, MS, GI)

Unlined metallic pipes
Lined metallic pipes with cement mortar or epoxy coating
Non metallic pipes
RCC, PSC, Asbestos cement pipes etc.
Plastic pipes PVC, polyethylene, glass reinforced plastic etc.

They are also sub classified based on their usage pattern like

Internal plumbing works

External plumbing works

Internal plumbing works

Types of materials

GALVINISED IRON (GI)

STAINLESS STEEL (SS)
COPPER
cPVC
uPVC
POLYPROPYLENE RANDOM (PP-R)
POLYBURYLENE