Reducing Water Age in Residential Premise Plumbing Systems
Publication: Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management
Volume 149, Issue 8
Abstract
Water quality degrades with time as water travels to users through pipes. Water age (as a surrogate quality indicator) is not limited to distribution networks but carries through the residential premise plumbing system to the tap. Poorly designed premise plumbing layouts and intermittent usage patterns can lead to high residence times. This work aims to numerically quantify water age in residential premise plumbing systems using a stochastic demand simulator and a hydraulic solver. Plumbing layouts based on real houses are assessed and modified to determine design practices that lower water age. Results suggest that best practices are to loop the plumbing system or connect water closets at the end of the premise distribution branches to ensure periodic flushing. However, none of these approaches impacts the “last foot” of pipe connecting plumbing fixtures with the premise distribution pipes. The effect of fixture use intensity and water heater types on residence times is also assessed. The introduction of more efficient fixtures with their lower flows over the last several decades has increased residence times. On-demand heaters reduce water ages across all layouts at the outlet and the point of connection of the fixture. Autoflushers, installed in the hot water system, further decrease water age.
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Data Availability Statement
All of the data, models, and code that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
Acknowledgments
Sarai Díaz would like to thank the financial support provided by the University of Castilla-La Mancha to visit the University of Arizona in Spring 2022.
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management
Volume 149 • Issue 8 • August 2023
Copyright
© 2023 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Aug 5, 2022
Accepted: Jan 30, 2023
Published online: May 23, 2023
Published in print: Aug 1, 2023
Discussion open until: Oct 23, 2023
ASCE Technical Topics:
- Age factors
- Architectural engineering
- Building systems
- Business management
- Engineering mechanics
- Environmental engineering
- Inertia
- Infrastructure
- Municipal water
- Pipeline systems
- Pipelines
- Pipes
- Plumbing
- Practice and Profession
- Residence time
- Statics (mechanics)
- Water (by type)
- Water and water resources
- Water management
- Water pipelines
- Water quality
- Water supply
- Water treatment
- Water use
- Workplace diversity
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