The impact of excessive water pressure on total domestic water consumption

Summary

The pattern of total domestic water consumption and water losses in residential buildings is presented. The main factors that influence the pattern formation are considered. It is taken into account that water consumption is formed not only as beneficial water use that reflects the actual water demand, but also as water losses including water wastage, nonproductive losses through valves and water leakages. It is shown that beneficial water consumption is associated with natural and physiological aspects; water wastage is determined by socio-economic conditions; nonproductive water losses are mostly formed under the impact of technical factors; whereas water leakages – under the impact of time factor. The relationships obtained during field tests between water flow rate and pressure are presented that take into account water consumption increase because of leakages and nonproductive use in residential sector. On the basis of the relationships the calculated nonproductive water rates and leakages in residential sector caused by excessive pressures at different water consumption patterns and diurnal average are cited as an example. It was stated that the highest nonproductive water use was observed at the maximum water consumption, the lowest nonproductive water use was observed at night (in percentage ratio); whereas in case with water losses – vice versa. The average daily water losses in a building calculated with account of water losses caused by excessive pressures at every floor were up to 40%. Considering the relationship between water flow rates in the distribution network and excessive pressures provides for approximating the estimated hydraulic pressure head in the distribution network to the actual values and improving the efficiency of the optimization measures.

Key words

water saving , excessive head , water leaks , beneficial water use , water wastage and nonproductive water use

State Regulation, Legislation and International Activities in the Water Sector

Summary

Issues of the state regulation and development of legislative basis in the sphere of water supply and sewerage services are covered. Currently, in the Russian Federation the following problems are not defined at the legislative level: the public and legal status of enterprises of water supply and sewerage services, methods of market regulation of water supply and water disposal services, rules of conduct for its participants, guarantees of safe, reliable and uninterrupted water supply and water disposal. To solve the issues raised it is necessary to have a united organizational center of activities aimed at legislative support of the water branch. To modernize the water sector it is proposed to reconstitute the scientific and technical council at the RF Ministry of Regional Development and organize the All-Russian data bank on the best available techniques as well.

Key words

best available techniques , water sector modernization , state regulation , water saving , energy efficiency of equipment

The method of designing a tap head for water supply fittings

Summary

The method of hydraulic designing a tap head for water supply fittings with a flat locking couple with a passageway made in the form of a curved drop is presented. The developed design is characterized with a high regulating capacity that provides for changing the water flow proportional to the turn of the tap handle. With this wastage of water is decreased.

Key words

water-discharge taps , hydraulic design , water saving , tap head , flat locking couple , regulating capacity