FEATURE
These facts need to be considered on your site visit before you
design the system,” Brainin says.
“On a new building, it is easier to separate your sewer lines from
your wastewater lines, and that comes into the architect’s planning
to keep the lines separate as it is easier to harvest it. On an existing
building, it is more complicated. It is imperative that you separate your
sewer line and your wastewater line as well. You need to run new
‘grey’ water lines to re-supply all the designated fixtures. In order to
do that, you cut off the existing municipal feed supply pipes that feed
your urinals and toilets and let your new water supply from your grey
water treatment plant supply the existing connections. You must have
a bypass system to switch back to municipal supply if required and
most importantly, the necessary shut-off valves, non-return valves and
so on, to prevent cross-contamination of grey water into the municipal
water. Again, it all comes back to the rational design system and the
client’s brief and needs,” explains Brainin.
MAINTENANCE
Brainin adds that training the relevant staff on site as well as
maintenance of all the systems once installed are important. “You
have to check the booster pumps, filters, and tanks and make sure
everything is still in order, because you have mechanical working parts
that should be serviced regularly. Service intervals for every project
will depend on the system designed and the complexity thereof.
Obviously, commercial and industrial systems will be inspected more
often than residential projects.” PA
www.plumbingafrica.co.za
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WATER IS PRECIOUS
“We might take it for granted, but water is one of
the most precious and scarce natural resources
on our planet. Awareness has steadily been on
the rise with respect to the importance of water
to our survival, especially in a dry country such as
South Africa. Rainwater harvesting is the process
of the collection of rainwater from surfaces on
which the rain falls, the diversion of this water into
storage vessels, and re-using the water for garden
irrigation, laundry, flushing of toilets and urinals,
topping up of water features and swimming pools,
and washing cars.”
Darryl Brainin – Burgess and Partners
“The biggest challenges with all
these jobs, whether its rainwater
or grey water harvesting, is
the availability of space (for
harvesting the rainwater) and
the space available to place your
storage tanks.”
Darryl Brainin
June 2018 Volume 24 I Number 4