How Fresh Is Your Building’s Water?

Plumbing engineers may be putting building occupants at risk unintentionally by combining water conservation guidelines and common pipe sizing practices.

ESD Technical Director James Dipping answers the question “Does your building’s tap water have an expiration date?” in his recent column for Plumbing & Mechanical Engineer magazine. He says today’s plumbing engineers are tasked with keeping up with the latest water conservation mandates, guidelines, and initiatives while also being obligated to “oversize” building water piping systems to meet code requirements. Dipping’s article explores how implementing the latest and greatest water conservation initiatives could lead to hazardous conditions if recognition of overall building water supply pipe volume is not considered. Low flow and flush volume fixtures could be creating stagnant water that promotes the growth of bacteria and other pathogens. Dipping says awareness of the challenges and potential problems is key to creating a safe and sustainable water supply.

James Dipping brings more than two decades of experience to his role as technical director, plumbing engineering. He freely shares his knowledge to further ESD’s mission to improve society through the built environment.

For more information on how plumbing engineering may impact your facility, reach out to James.