scholarly journals Saving cold drinking water in residential hot water distribution systems

2020 ◽  
Vol 24 ◽  
pp. e4
Author(s):  
Marcelo Dalmédico Ioris ◽  
Enedir Ghisi
Keyword(s):  
Drinking Water ◽  
Distribution Systems ◽  
Water Distribution ◽  
Cold Water ◽  
Solenoid Valve ◽  
Hot Water ◽  
Water Tank ◽  
Vertical Pipe ◽  
Plumbing Systems ◽  
Approximate Amount

In homes that have instantaneous gas heaters to heat water, cold water is wasted in the first seconds of using hot water fixtures. This waste is caused due to the large lengths of piping between the hot water fixtures and the heater that feeds them. The water in such pipes suffers thermal losses over time. When turning on the fixtures, this drinking water, because it is cold, is rejected by users, especially when using showers. This work deals with the conformation of a system that avoids wasting water in residential hot water services. To establish this conformation, a usual plumbing design was analysed to verify the changes proposed in order to optimise the operation of the system. The gas-heated hot water pipes are currently installed so that the pipes start at the heater and run through the entire house to the hot water fixtures furthest from the heater. It was found that the waste of water in a water fixture decreases if there is the consumption of hot water previously in one of the water fixtures of the house. To avoid this waste, according to the configuration of the current plumbing systems, it is necessary to install an additional set of electronic equipment that automatically redirects the cold water − that would be wasted − to a water tank for later use. The system proposed is composed of a solenoid valve located at the end of the hot water pipe. This valve has the function of letting flow to the water tank the approximate amount of cold water that would be wasted. Through a radio frequency signal sent when a button located near the hot water fixtures is pressed, the system recognises which water fixture was turned on and the approximate amount of cold water that must be released through the valve until the arrival of hot water from the heater. Then, there must be a pipe that collects the water that flows through the solenoid valve. Such pipe will be connected to a vertical pipe, responsible for collecting water from all flats and directing the water to the water tank. The installation of the system is based on the recommendations of the standards used in Brazil and the most frequent configuration found in homes. This work also serves as a guide for installing the system in homes other than the example shown herein.

Determinants of Legionella pneumophila Contamination of Water Distribution Systems: 15-Hospital Prospective Study

1987 ◽  
Vol 8 (9) ◽  
pp. 357-363 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard M. Vickers ◽  
Victor L. Yu ◽  
S. Sue Hanna ◽  
Paul Muraca ◽  
Warren Diven ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Legionella Pneumophila ◽  
Distribution System ◽  
Distribution Systems ◽  
Water Distribution ◽  
Cold Water ◽  
Physicochemical Characteristics ◽  
Hot Water ◽  
Environmental Study ◽  
Water Tank ◽  
One Year

AbstractWe conducted a prospective environmental study for Legionella pneumophila in 15 hospitals in Pennsylvania. Hot water tanks, cold water sites, faucets, and show-erheads were surveyed four times over a one-year period. Sixty percent (9/15) of hospitals surveyed were contaminated with L pneumophila. Although contamination could not be linked to a specific municipal water supplier, most of the contaminated supplies came from rivers. Parameters found to be significantly associated with contamination included elevated hot water temperature, vertical configuration of the hot water tank, older tanks, and elevated calcium and magnesium concentrations of the water (P < 0.05). This study suggests that L pneumophila contamination could be predicted based on design of the distribution system, as well as physicochemical characteristics of the water.

scholarly journals Analysis of building plumbing system flushing practices and communications

2019 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 196-203 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa Ragain ◽  
Sheldon Masters ◽  
Timothy A. Bartrand ◽  
Jennifer L. Clancy ◽  
Andrew J. Whelton
Keyword(s):  
Drinking Water ◽  
Distribution System ◽  
Grade Level ◽  
Water Distribution ◽  
Cold Water ◽  
Expert Elicitation ◽  
Hot Water ◽  
Single Family ◽  
Point Of Entry ◽  
12Th Grade

Abstract Drinking water distribution system contamination incidents can prompt public agencies and drinking water utilities to issue do-not-drink and do-not-use advisories. After the contaminant is cleared from distribution mains, consumers are often directed to flush their plumbing. However, little validated guidance and few evaluated communications strategies are available on using flushing to decontaminate building water systems. Additionally, limited data support the effectiveness of current practices and recommendations. In this study, expert elicitation was used to assess existing flushing guidance and develop validated flushing guidance and communications for single-family residences. The resulting guidance recommends progressively opening all cold-water taps from the closest to point of entry to the furthest and allowing the water to run for at least 20 minutes. Hot-water taps should be opened progressively and run for at least 75 minutes. The guidance language and format conformed to grade-level and readability scores within recommended health communication ranges. The readability of eight other flushing guidance documents was also evaluated for contamination incidents from 2008–2015. Seven were written at a 10th–12th grade level, above the 6th–7th grade level recommended for health communications.

Biofilms in copper plumbing systems: sensitivity to copper and chlorine and implications for corrosion

2002 ◽  
Vol 2 (4) ◽  
pp. 81-87
Author(s):  
M.M. Critchley ◽  
N.J. Cromar ◽  
N. McClure ◽  
H.J. Fallowfield
Keyword(s):  
Drinking Water ◽  
Distribution Systems ◽  
Water Distribution ◽  
Copper Ions ◽  
Free Chlorine ◽  
Drinking Water Distribution Systems ◽  
Microbial Biofilms ◽  
Drinking Water Distribution ◽  
Plumbing Systems ◽  
Viable Bacteria

Microbial biofilms have been implicated as a major contributor to the corrosion of metals in drinking water distribution systems. This study investigated the sensitivity of biofilm bacteria with previously established cuprosolvency activity, isolated from domestic copper plumbing pipes, to chlorine and copper and assessed their potential to adsorb aqueous copper. Bacterial suspensions were exposed to free chlorine residuals of 0.1, 0.2 and 0.5 mg/L and viable bacteria enumerated at times 0, 1, 2, 5 and 10 minutes. Disinfection curves showed the isolated bacteria were more resistant to free chlorine in comparison to the indicator organism Escherichia coli. Disc diffusion assays demonstrated high resistance by all bacteria to copper, with a Corynebacteria sp. showing no growth inhibition at concentrations up to 4 gCu/L. The isolated bacteria showed the ability to bind aqueous copper ions from solution in adsorption experiments. Significantly higher adsorption of copper was shown by a species of Pseudomonas. The results of this research will provide a greater understanding of causes of biofilm accumulation and copper contamination of drinking water, aiding in health risk assessment and risk management.

scholarly journals Persistence of Nontuberculous Mycobacteria in a Drinking Water System after Addition of Filtration Treatment

2006 ◽  
Vol 72 (9) ◽  
pp. 5864-5869 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth D. Hilborn ◽  
Terry C. Covert ◽  
Mitchell A. Yakrus ◽  
Stephanie I. Harris ◽  
Sandra F. Donnelly ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Drinking Water ◽  
Distribution System ◽  
Distribution Systems ◽  
Water Distribution ◽  
Cold Water ◽  
Nontuberculous Mycobacteria ◽  
Treatment Plant ◽  
Water System ◽  
Drinking Water Treatment ◽  
Drinking Water System

ABSTRACT There is evidence that drinking water may be a source of infections with pathogenic nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) in humans. One method by which NTM are believed to enter drinking water distribution systems is by their intracellular colonization of protozoa. Our goal was to determine whether we could detect a reduction in the prevalence of NTM recovered from an unfiltered surface drinking water system after the addition of ozonation and filtration treatment and to characterize NTM isolates by using molecular methods. We sampled water from two initially unfiltered surface drinking water treatment plants over a 29-month period. One plant received the addition of filtration and ozonation after 6 months of sampling. Sample sites included those at treatment plant effluents, distributed water, and cold water taps (point-of-use [POU] sites) in public or commercial buildings located within each distribution system. NTM were recovered from 27% of the sites. POU sites yielded the majority of NTM, with >50% recovery despite the addition of ozonation and filtration. Closely related electrophoretic groups of Mycobacterium avium were found to persist at POU sites for up to 26 months. Water collected from POU cold water outlets was persistently colonized with NTM despite the addition of ozonation and filtration to a drinking water system. This suggests that cold water POU outlets need to be considered as a potential source of chronic human exposure to NTM.

scholarly journals Effects of plumbing systems on human exposure to disinfection byproducts in water: a case study

2015 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 489-503 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shakhawat Chowdhury
Keyword(s):  
Distribution Systems ◽  
Water Distribution ◽  
Tap Water ◽  
Regulatory Compliance ◽  
Disinfection Byproducts ◽  
Hot Water ◽  
Cancer Risks ◽  
Plumbing Systems ◽  
Daily Intakes ◽  
Water Tanks

Disinfection byproducts (DBPs) in water distribution systems (WDS) are monitored for regulatory compliance, while populations are exposed to DBPs in tap water that may be different due to stagnation of water in plumbing pipes (PP) and heating in hot water tanks (HWT). This study investigated the effects of water stagnation in PP and HWT on exposure and risk of DBPs to humans. Trihalomethanes (THMs) in PP and HWT were observed to be 1.1–2.4 and 1.6–3.0 times, respectively, to THMs in the WDS, while haloacetic acids (HAAs) were 0.9–1.8 and 1.2–1.9 times, respectively, to HAAs in the WDS. The chronic daily intakes of DBPs from PP and HWT were 0.6–1.8 and 0.5–2.3 times the intakes from WDS. The cancer risks from PP and HWT were 1.46 (0.40–4.3) and 1.68 (0.35–5.1) times the cancer risks from WDS. The findings may assist in regulating DBPs exposure concentrations.

The assessment of biofilm community composition on plumbing materials in filtered and unfiltered water distribution systems

2003 ◽  
Vol 3 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 187-191
Author(s):  
M.M. Critchley ◽  
N.J. Cromar ◽  
H.J. Fallowfield
Keyword(s):  
Drinking Water ◽  
Fatty Acid ◽  
Community Composition ◽  
Distribution Systems ◽  
Water Distribution ◽  
Water Distribution Systems ◽  
Polymer Materials ◽  
Fatty Acid Profiles ◽  
Water Supplies ◽  
Drinking Water Distribution Systems

Biofilms have been extensively characterised within drinking water distribution systems. However, the significance of materials on biofilm species diversity is not established. This study investigated the community composition of biofilms on plumbing materials receiving filtered and unfiltered water supplies. Biofilms were extracted from polybutylene, polyethylene, cross-linked polyethylene, unplasticised polyvinyl chloride and copper tubes in sampling rigs receiving Murray-Onkaparinga water before or after filtration. Biofilms were extracted and analysed for fatty acid composition using the FAME™ methodology. There were differences in the fatty acid profiles of biofilms and the respective water supplies, indicating differences in the attached and planktonic communities. The results also showed significant differences in the fatty acid profiles of biofilms on the polymer materials compared to copper, suggesting variations in biofilm populations on the different materials. The potential for materials to select for microbial populations has significant implications for the ecology of drinking water biofilms.

scholarly journals Identification of Aminoglycoside Resistance Genes From Bacteria Isolated From Selected Municipal Drinking Water Distribution Systems in Southwestern Nigeria

2020 ◽  
Vol 41 (S1) ◽  
pp. s255-s255
Author(s):  
Ayodele T. Adesoji ◽  
Adeniyi A. Ogunjobi
Keyword(s):  
Drinking Water ◽  
Distribution Systems ◽  
Water Distribution ◽  
Water Distribution Systems ◽  
Multidrug Resistant ◽  
Resistant Bacteria ◽  
Multidrug Resistant Bacteria ◽  
Southwestern Nigeria ◽  
Drinking Water Distribution Systems ◽  
Drinking Water Distribution

Background: Multidrug-resistant bacteria can lead to treatment failure, resulting in infectious diseases being transferred through nonpotable water. Aminoglycosides are an important class of antibiotics that are abused in Nigeria. Few studies have investigated aminoglycoside-modifying genes (AMGs) that are likely responsible for resistance in Nigeria bacteria isolates. Therefore, we aimed to characterize AMGs from isolates in drinking water distribution systems (DWDS) in southwestern Nigeria. Methods: Multidrug-resistant bacteria (n = 181) that had been previously characterized by 16S rDNA sequencing and that were positive for resistance to at least 1 aminoglycoside antibiotic were selected from 6 treated and untreated water distribution systems. Strains were PCR genotyped for 3 AMGs: aph(3)c, ant(3)b and aph(6)-1dd. Results: Of 181 MDR bacteria tested, 69 (38.12%) were positive for at least 1 of the AMGs. The most common was ant(3)c (27.6%), followed by aph(3")c (18.23%). Both aph(3)c and ant(3")b were found in 7.73% of tested isolates, ant(3)b was most commonly found in Alcaligenes spp (50%). Furthermore, aph(3")c was most commonly detected in Proteus spp (50%). Other genera positive for AMGs included Acinetobacter, Aeromonas, Bordetella, Brevundimonas, Chromobacterium, Klebsiella, Leucobacter, Morganella, Pantoae, Proteus, Providencia, Psychrobacter, and Serratia. Conclusions: High occurrence of ant(3)c and aph(3)c among these bacteria call for urgent attention among public health workers because these genes can be easily disseminated to consumers if present on mobile genetic elements like plasmids, integrons, and transposons.Funding: NoneDisclosures: None

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