ENGINEERING UTILITIES II: MODERN
Thus, the temperature at which
PLUMBING
 Modern cities have sophisticated water delivery and
wastewater treatment systems. In buildings, the
plumbing system performs two primary functions:
water supply and waste disposal.
 A complete plumbing arrangement consists of a water
supply system, a sanitary drainage system, and a
wastewater treatment system.
 The water supply system consists of the piping and
fittings that supply hot and cold water from the
building water supply to the fixtures, such as
lavatories, bathtubs, water closets, dishwashers,
clothes washers, and sinks.
 The waste disposal system consists of the piping and
fittings required to take that water supplied to the
fixtures out of the building and into the sewer line or
disposal field.
 This system is typically referred to as a sanitary
drainage system or drain, waste and vent (DWV)
system.
 Because of environmental concerns, wastewater
treatment is also an important component of waste
disposal from building plumbing systems.
 Although most buildings rely upon district or
community water treatment plants to dispose of their
sewage, some buildings and facilities operate their
own operations.
 These are generally known as septic or on-site
sewage treatment (OSST) systems.
 Essentially, a plumbing system is a network of pipes,
fittings, and valves that carry and control flow of
supply water and wastewater to and from points of
use known as fixtures.
 Fixtures are components, receptacles, or pieces of
equipment that use water and dispose of wastewater
at the point of water use.
 Piping is a series of hollow channels that carry water
to and wastewater from plumbing fixtures.
 Fittings are used to connect lengths of pipe in the
piping network.
 Valves are used to regulate or control flow of water.
WATER: THE SUBSTANCE
 Any study of a plumbing system must begin with the
substance it carries, water. Water is the name given to
the liquid compound H2O. A molecule of water is
composed of one oxygen atom and two hydrogen
atoms. In a pure state, it is tasteless and odorless.
 Under standard atmospheric pressure (14.696 psi,
101.04 kPa), the boiling point temperature of water is
212°F (100°C).
 The temperature at which water boils decreases with
lower atmospheric or system pressure and increases
at higher pressures.
water boils decreases with elevation increase.
 For example, at standard atmospheric conditions at an
elevation of 5000 ft (1524 m) above sea level, water
boils at 202.4°F (94.7°C). It boils at 193.2°F (89.6°C)
at 10 000 ft (3048 m) above sea level. The freezing
point of water is 32°F (0°C).
WHAT ARE THE BASIC HUMAN NEEDS FOR
WATER?
FUNDAMENTAL UNITS
 Specific Weight (Density) - Specific weight (w) or
density is weight per unit volume.
 Water density varies with temperature; it is most
dense at 39°F (4°C). Below this temperature, crystals
begin to form, increasing its volume and therefore
decreasing its density.
 Water attains a specific weight of 62.42 lb/ft^3 (1.00
kg/L) at a temperature of 39°F (4°C). Above and
below 39°F, water is less dense.
 Specific Gravity - The specific gravity (s.g.) of a fluid
or solid is the ratio of the specific weight of the fluid
or solid to the specific weight of water at a
temperature of 39°F (4°C), the temperature at which
water is most dense (62.42 lb/ft3 or 1.00 kg/L).
 It is a comparison of its weight with the weight of an
equal volume of water. Materials with a specific
gravity less than 1.0 are less dense than water (e.g.,
oil) and will float on pure water; substances with a
specific gravity more than 1.0 are denser than water
and will sink. The specific gravity of water is
assumed to be 1.0 at common plumbing system
temperatures.
EXAMPLE:
 Volume - Volume (V) is the amount of space
occupied by a substance. Water volume is typically
expressed in cubic inches (in3) or cubic feet (ft3) in
the customary system, and in cubic meters (m3) or
 liters (L) in the SI system. In plumbing system
design, volume is commonly expressed in gallons (g
or gal). There are 7.48 gallons in a cubic foot (ft3). A
gallon is approximately 3.8 L.
 Volumetric Flow Rate - Volumetric flow rate (Q),
frequently called the flow rate, is the volume of a
substance that passes a point in a system per unit of
time. Flow rate is usually expressed in liters per
second (L/s), liters per minute (L/min), or cubic
meters per second (m3/s) in the SI system. In the
customary system, volumetric flow rate is expressed
in cubic feet per second (cfs or ft3/s), cubic feet per
minute (cfm or ft3/min), gal per second (gps or g/s),
and gal per minute (gpm or g/min). Volumetric flow
rate (Q) may be determined with volume (V) and
time:
EXAMPLE:
 Velocity - Velocity is the rate of linear motion of a
substance in one direction. The magnitude of
velocity, known as speed, is usually expressed in
terms of distance covered per unit of time. In the
customary system of weights and measures, velocity
is expressed in inches per second (in/s) or feet per
second (ft/s).
 In the international system of measure (the SI
system), velocity is expressed in meters per second
(m/s).
 In a fluidic system such as a plumbing system, water
velocity is expressed as an average velocity because
water molecules each have different speeds and
directions of travel; that is, water molecules flowing
in the center of a pipe tend to travel faster than water
molecules at or near the inner wall of the pipe.
 Average velocity (v) of a fluid (such as water)
flowing through a pipe may be found by the
following equations based upon average volumetric
flow rate (Q) and cross-sectional area (A) or inside
diameter (Di). Units must be consistent in these
equations (e.g., volume, area, and diameter must be
expressed in units of in, ft, m, and so on).
 The following equation, in customary units, is useful
in plumbing system design. It may be used to find the
average velocity (v) of a fluid flowing through a pipe,
in ft/s, based on the volumetric flow rate (Q), in gpm,
and an inside diameter (Di) of the pipe, in inches:
EXAMPLE:
 Pressure - Pressure (P) is the force per unit area
exerted by liquid or gas on a surface such as the
sidewall of a container or pipe. In the customary
system of measure, pressure is expressed in pounds
per square inch (lb/in^2 or psi) or pounds per square
foot (lb/ft^2 or psf).
 In the international system (SI), pressure is expressed
in Newton per square meter or the Pascal (N/m^2 or
Pa).
 Although units of lb/in^2 are dimensionally correct,
the acronym “psi” will be used for pounds per square
inch of gauge pressure because it is universally
accepted in the plumbing industry. The acronym
“psia” will be used for absolute pressure.
 Standard atmospheric pressure (Ps) is the typical
barometric pressure of air at sea level and 70°F
(21°C). It is equal to 14.696 psia (101.325 Pa).
Atmospheric pressure varies with weather conditions
and elevation.
 In Denver, Colorado, atmospheric pressure is
about 11.8 psia because Denver is about a mile
above sea level; it is above about 20% of the
earth’s atmosphere.
 Gauge pressure (Pg) is the pressure of a fluid (gas or
liquid) excluding pressure exerted by the atmosphere.
 Pressure can be expressed in terms of absolute and
gauge pressure:
 Absolute pressure (Pa) is the pressure of a fluid (gas
or liquid) including pressure exerted by the
atmosphere:
  Provoding water in buildings is one of the most
critical utility requirements. A building without water
EXAMPLE: supply is unfit for human habitation.
 Generally, potable water is supplied from a local
utility firm through a public water system.
 For buildings without public water system, an
alternative source of water must be considered, they
are:
1. Springs
2. Wells
3. Rainwater

Impurities in Water
 All water sources contain some impurities. It is the
type and amount of these impurities that affect water
quality and suitability for a particular use.
 Surface water generally contains larger
quantities of turbidity (cloudiness) and bacteria
than groundwater.
WATER SUPPLY
 Groundwater generally contains higher
concentrations of dissolved chemicals.
Water Sources
 Seawater contains high concentrations of
 A supply of good water is more important to human
dissolved chemicals and some microscopic
survival than food.
organisms.
 Potable is clean water that is suitable for human
 As surface water runs over the ground, it may pick up
drinking. It must be available for drinking,
various organic substances.
cooking, and cleaning.
 These include algae, fungi, bacteria, vegetable
 Nonpotable water may be used for flushing
matter, animal decay and wastes, fertilizer,
water closets (toilets), irrigating grass and
garbage wastes, and sewage. This contaminated
gardens, washing cars, and for any use other than
runoff returns to the river, lake, or reservoir.
drinking, cooking, or cleaning.
Unless treated, these waters remain tainted and
 An abundant supply of potable water that is easily
are not potable
distributed is vital to a prosperous economy.
Water Testing
WHAT ARE THE GENERAL SOURCES OF
 All potable water supplies should be tested and
PUBLIC WATER SUPPLY?
certified before being put in use and periodically
recertified during use. The governmental entity (e.g.,
1) Surface Waters: Streams, Rivers, & Lakes
special district, city, municipality, and so forth) that
a) Upland Surface Water
controls the supply of water to a community regularly
b) Lowland Surface Water
tests its water to be certain it is potable.
2) Ground Water
 Testing of private water supplies, such as wells and
streams, is the responsibility of the property owner or
 Rain and snowmelt are the sources of most of the
user. The responsible governmental health entity
water available for our use. When it rains or a
often refers the users of private water supplies to
snowfield melts, water flows into streams and rivers
independent testing laboratories.
or soaks into the ground.
 By definition, surface water is the rain that runs off
Water Treatment
the surface of the ground into streams, rivers, and
 Water quality and taste vary considerably from place
lakes.
to place, depending on the water source of the area,
 Groundwater is water found below the surface of the
the chemical and bacteria contents of the water, and
earth. It is water that has percolated through porous
the amount and type of treatment given the water
soil until it reaches an impervious stratum, upon
before it is put into the system.
which it collects.

WHAT ARE THE AVAILABLE WATER SUPPLY

SOURCES FOR PRIVATE DOMESTIC USE?