Gurmit Singh Arora
Plumbing in modern time is directly connected to human health as plumbing deals with water & sanitation issues which have to be dealt very carefully. Therefore, plumbing system should work efficiently. Plumbing services are paramount to your homeownership so your plumbing system can work efficiently to remove water easily and safely. Modern-day plumbing systems have become a game-changer in the way we live our lives.
A good plumbing system must serve the following objectives:
♦ To design, install and maintain drinking water supply and waste removal systems
♦ To design install and maintain waste removal systems- Waste Water, Sewer
♦ To help conserve water.
There have been numerous cases where faulty plumbing led to big health hazards. Eg. Sars in Hong Kong is one example. We give you a list of to-do’s to ensure that your plumbing systems work well:
♦ Ensure that the drinking water pipelines do not come in contact with sewer or wastewater carrying pipes to avoid water contamination. Sewage water contains bacteria, viruses, and other contaminants (as expected) that can contribute to a wide range of health issues. If your septic system isn’t properly maintained, these contaminants may spread to your drinking water and cause health problems.
♦ Ensure that your bathroom traps and other traps have a proper seal. A liquid seal trap should be installed in each fixture or group of fixtures that connect to the drainage system. The depth of liquid in each seal must be sufficient to prevent the emission of odours and gases, as well as to prevent insects or rodents from entering the premises from the sewer.
♦ Ensure that wastewater does not accumulate / spill and also take care of any leakage. To prevent the accumulation of wastewater and spillage, every fixture, including a wall-mounted tap, should have drainage facilities. Waste should be removed quickly from each fixture using a system of drainpipes to avoid any further human contact or home damage.
vBackflow of sewage needs to be prevented. In order to do so ensure that Drainage systems should be designed and constructed so that sewage cannot enter buildings connected to the sewer system in the event of backflow from public sewers due to flood, blockage or any other causes.
♦ Preventing scalding is an issue that must be taken seriously. Ensure that hot water and cold-water supply system has balance pressure to avoid scalding from Hot water. Also keep your hot water source temperature within the permissible range.
♦ A major cause of contamination of drinking-water is through the improper storage of water in household storage tanks and cisterns, and in smaller containers after it has been drawn. This is a common source of pathogens in drinking water in developing countries. Microbial Risks also pose a threat causing waterborne infectious diseases.
Taking care of the above factors can help you keep at bay the health risks associated with faulty/ inefficient plumbing.
Gurmit Singh Arora is National President, Indian Plumbing Association
