6.4.

22 Pipes and fittings shall not be installed in such positions or pass through such surroundings or
substances that cause or can cause contamination of water or contamination or damage to the pipes
and fittings unless it is impracticable for the pipes and fittings to be installed elsewhere and all necessary
measures are taken to avoid any risk of contamination of water and contamination or damage to the
pipes and fittings.

6.4.23 Pipes and fittings which convey any fluid other than potable water shall be clearly identified so
as to be easily distinguished from any service pipe or distributing pipe which conveys potable water.

6.4.24 Every concealed pipe and fitting shall be watertight and suitable for the default pressure and
temperature likely to be encountered by the pipe or fitting in the place where It is concealed.

6.5 Hot water supply systems

6.5.1 The Authority allows direct connection of electric or gas instantaneous water heaters to the
service pipes for cold water supply where applicable, provided these heaters comply with the
specifications and requirements of the manufacturer and the Authority and all other relevant statutory
requirements. The design of the water reticulation system shall take into consideration the minimum
operating pressure of such heaters to ensure that satisfactory flow rates at the water fittings I appliances
are achieved.

6.5.2 The mains pressure type storage water heater can be connected to the service pipe or
distributing pipe for cold water supply provided the following conditions are satisfied:

(a) All other specifications and requirements of the manufacturer and all other relevant statutory
authorities shall be complied with;

(b) An efficient device shall be provided which will prevent the siphonage of water back through
the inlet;

(c) A pressure relief valve shall be provided so that the water heater is not subjected to pressures
higher than its designated pressure;

(d) The discharge from the pressure relief valve should be piped to the nearest drain or floor trap;

(e) The storage water heater shall be incorporated with a thermostat and thermal cut-out;

(f) It shall comply with the relevant standards; and

(g) It shall be installed in accordance with the specifications and requirements of the manufacturer.

6.5.3 Hot water supply apparatus or systems other than those which are instantaneous, and mains
pressure types mentioned in 6.5.1 and 6.5.2 are not allowed to be connected directly to the service pipe
for cold water supply:

(a) If the water heater is an open vessel, the water should discharge into the water heater with an
air gap of 15 mm above the top edge of the water heater. No ball valve (float-operated valve)
should be used to control the flow of water to the water heater.

(b) If the water heater is an enclosed hot water cylinder, a cold water feed tank should be provided.
The cold water feed tank should be at least equal in capacity to the hot water cylinder, thus
enabling the whole of the hot water to be drawn off even if the inflow of cold water to the feed
tank fails. If the feed is from a storage tank which also supplies cold water draw-off taps, then
the storage capacity should be double the capacity of the hot water cylinder. The connection of
the feed pipe to the hot water cylinder from the cold water tank should be at least 50 mm higher
than the connection for the cold water draw-off pipe. This is to ensure that the cold water draw-
off does not fail before the hot with consequent risk of scalding. The storage heater should
comply with the conditions in 6.5.2.
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6.5.4 The hot water distnbuting system should be designed so that hot water appears quickly at the
draw-off taps when opened, to avoid the running to waste of an undue amount of water which has
cooled while sitting in the pipes. With this end in view, a secondary circulating system, with flow and
return pipes from and to the hot water cylinder should be used where justified. Whether such a system
is used or not, the length of pipe to a hot water draw-off tap, measured along the pipe from the tap back
to the hot water cylinder or to the secondary circulating pipe, as the case may be, should be as short
as possible.

6.5.5 To avoid waste of water and of time when repairs are required, a stopvalve should be fitted on
the cold water feed pipe. This should be at the outlet from the feed tank, and, if the hot water cylinder
is fixed at a lower storey, it may be convenient to have an additional stopvalve near the Inlet to the hot
water cylinder. These stopvalves should be of the fullway type so as not to impede the flow of the water.

6.5.6 For efficiency of operation and to conserve heat, the hot water cylinder and the piping of the
primary and of any secondary circuit should be lagged with insulating material. The insulating material
shall be non-combustible.

6.5.7 No mixing valves, pipes or other water fittings in which hot water and cold water are mixed shall
be so connected as to mix either:

(a) water supplied from a hot water heater connected directly to a service pipe with cold water not
supplied directly from a service pipe; or •

(b) water supplied from a hot water heater not connected directly to a service pipe, with cold water
supplied directly from a service pipe.

6.5.8 Every pipe used for conveying hot water shall be of copper, stainless steel or some other non-
corrodible or corrosion-resisting material that complies with the requirements and standards stipulated
by the Authority.

6.5.9 Every hot water vessel shall be constructed of mild steel with vitreous lining, copper or some
other suitable materials that comply with the requirements and standards stipulated by the Authority.
Corrosion may result from galvanic action where there is contact of dissimilar metals in the presence of
hot water. Where such corrosion is known to occur, the use of dissimilar metals should be avoided, or
they should be kept apart by the use of fittings made of electronically non-conducting materials.

6.5.1 O More extensive information on hot water supply systems may be obtained in the following
Standards issued by the British Standards Institution:

BS EN 806-5 Specifications for installations inside buildings conveying water for human
consumption. Operation and maintenance

BS 5546 Specification for installation and maintenance of gas-fired water-heating appliances of

rated input not exceeding 70 kW net

6.6 Mode of water supply

The Authority should be consulted on the provision of water supply to the development at the planning
stage.

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