Plumbing Africa April 2018 | Page 72

70 TECHNICAL << Continued from page 69 Figure 5: Backflow conditions. Diagram 6: An example of the installation of an RPZ valve. reduce supply pressure. We should all be concerned with the efficient use of our water resources. This group of fittings is termed ‘the protection unit’. The point in the system at which the protection unit is installed is called the protection point. The protection point is usually located on the service pipe serving a building before any tee-off from the service pipe, downstream of the municipal water meter but on the erf premises. In larger, more complex installations, depending on the nature of activity and processes April 2018 Volume 24 I Number 2 taking place, additional protection points may be required to protect the overall on-site water reticulation system as well. The protection unit must be installed with the discharge port of the RPZ at 30cm above a suitable drain point. AN INTERESTING POINT It’s amazing sometimes what answers you get when the question is asked what the purpose of a vacuum breaker is, as installed on a SANS 10254 www.plumbingafrica.co.za