DESIGN: DEAR MR PLUMBER
41
Agreements from the past
I once told you the story of the indaba that we arranged in the late 1970s, where we got all the
building services role players together to discuss our common problems and issues.
By Vollie Brink, Pr Eng
What was also discussed was how to better
co-ordinate what we all do in a building in terms
of the various services and architecture. This
was before the Institute of Plumbing South Africa
(IOPSA) was founded.
From this indaba flowed the establishment of the
Institute of Building Services. Membership was
open to all involved in services, both in and for
buildings, and it included professionals from different
occupations, ranging from the architect and the
various engineers (electrical and mechanical), to
the quantity surveyor, the purchasing manager,
plumbers, and electricians. This was followed by the
need for design and construction documentation,
which eventually became what we know today as
SANS 10252-1 for the design of water.
It is important to know that this document was
developed as a design manual — with a few elements
of installation that relate to the design — and to
have some construction information available while
a separate construction manual was being created.
Here comes the important part: the plumbers agreed
to develop a construction manual to follow on the
design document. But, the plumbers have never
honoured their undertaking, opting to adopt the design
document instead. Consequently, we still do not have
an installation manual.
The outcome of this is that the engineer must produce
a specification document for every project — and every
engineer’s document is different. Details of manholes,
inspection chambers, and all the other important
elements are different from engineer to engineer.
These details could all have been standardised in one
general construction document instead of plundering
the design document to become a design/construction
document. Information that should have been included
in the construction manual now appear in the design
manual, while information that has been omitted from
the design manual therefore also does not appear in
the missing construction manual. The design engineer
must repeat certain essential construction information,
and even the QA inspections and tests, for every
project. All of which should have been detailed in the
construction document.
I have named two of my lectures “What to check
on water” and “What to check on drainage” —
information that is supposed to be in the construction
manual. Instead, every engineer has to develop their
own document as part of the contract. Details such as
the installation of a bath, washbasin, drain, manhole,
rodding eye, geyser, and all the other elements could
have been in one construction manual/document and
be a standard document for all. Plumbers have had
more than 25–30 years to develop this construction
manual — when will they begin to fulfill their promise?
Every construction plumber needs this document. I
am sure all the manufacturers will pa rticipate, as they
already have tons of information to contribute.
Vollie Brink
Vollie Brink is one of the
industry’s longest serving
wet service engineers.
He continues to serve on
SABS committees and
has been involved in the
Green Building Council
Star rating system.
Brink continues to consult
for various organisations
while enjoying a
well-earned retirement.
Construction engineering is your responsibility. Why
don’t you form a working group in IOPSA and develop
the document? If necessary, the SABS can take it
over from you to change it into a SANS document.
I can provide information where possible and I am
sure all the other engineers will contribute what they
have in terms of standard details, specifications, and
construction documentation.
I hope your conscience will keep you awake until you
start working on this long-overdue document and that
you will honour your undertaking. PA
June 2018 Volume 24 I Number 4