PageWater Archives - Page 3 of 12

Plumbing & Sanitation

“At the Water Trough” 1876 J. Alden Weir

Today we slice horizontally through several vertical catalogs that interact, cross reference and are fairly dynamic in their best practice discovery and promulgation.

Plumbing and sanitation systems in educational settlements – especially those with healthcare and research enterprises are intricately linked, ensuring clean water supply, waste removal, and public health. Plumbing systems deliver potable water to dormitories, academic buildings, dining halls, and recreational facilities through a network of pipes, pumps, and valves. (Kitchens). These systems source water from municipal supplies or campus wells, often treated to meet safety standards (Backflow Prevention). Hot water heaters and pressure regulators maintain consistent supply for showers, sinks, and laboratories.

Sanitation systems, conversely, manage wastewater and sewage. They collect used water from toilets, sinks, and showers, channeling it through drainage pipes to campus treatment facilities or municipal sewer systems. Advanced campuses may employ on-site wastewater treatment plants, using processes like sedimentation and biological treatment to reduce environmental impact. Regular maintenance, including pipe cleaning and septic tank pumping, prevents blockages and contamination.

The interaction requires precise coordination. Plumbing systems must avoid cross-contamination with sanitation lines, using backflow preventers and proper pipe insulation.

Sanitation systems rely on plumbing’s water flow to transport waste efficiently. On large campuses, high demand during peak hours challenges both systems, necessitating robust infrastructure. Sustainable practices, like low-flow fixtures and greywater recycling, enhance efficiency, reduce costs, and align with campus environmental goals, ensuring a hygienic and functional environment.

Join us today at 11 AM when we sort through the settled science and unsettled standards of care. Use the login credentials at the upper right of our home page.

Gallery: Great Lakes

DRINKING, WASTEWATER & STORMWATER SYSTEMS

Physical Security of Water Utilities

Backflow

Water and Sanitation

Hot Water in North America

Estimating Daily Domestic Hot-Water Use in North American Homes

Florida Solar Energy Center | ASHRAE Conference Paper

Danny S. Parker | Philip Fairey | James D. Lutz, PE

ABSTRACT. The WVU campus in Morgantown, located in north central WV is identified to have elevated heat flows by low-temperature geothermal play fairway analysis of the Appalachian basin. Along with the elevated subsurface heat flows, WVU also has surface demand necessary to develop a deep direct-use geothermal system in the eastern United States. West Virginia University is currently using a steam-based water heating system. This study focuses on converting the current heating system to a geothermal deep-direct-use district heating system.

A comprehensive evaluation of the current heating system is being conducted to determine the university’s heating energy demand. Energy demand is calculated for the whole campus based on the equipment survey and readings from the steam meters. Based on the steam meter readings, the approximate hot water usage of the whole campus is in the range of 10,000-12,000 GPM (gallons per minute). For buildings where there are no existing data or steam meters available, the energy usage is estimated using e-Quest. The tool e-Quest (Quick Energy Simulation Tool) is available through the U.S. Department of Energy and can provide monthly building energy usage data for comparison purposes.

The study includes an in-depth analysis of existing heating and cooling equipment, such as air handling units (AHUs) and heat exchangers, to determine their compatibility with hot water systems. The potential for retrofitting these systems to enhance energy efficiency, reduce operational costs, and contribute to the university’s sustainability goals is evaluated. This retrofit requires significant infrastructure changes, including installing new pumps, pipes, and heat exchangers. A detailed study for retrofitting was conducted on one of the buildings, which includes air handling units, pumps, valves, and expansion tanks.

The total retrofitting cost was found to be approximately $130,000. A preliminary hot water distribution model using Aspen HYSYS is developed, incorporating key system components like heat pumps and geothermal plate heat exchangers with a hot water distribution temperature of 180℉. Similarly, Aspen HYSYS models are developed to study and compare the normal hot water distribution model.

Florida

Florida’s campus coffee scene picks up influences from Gulf of America nations. Hot options are popular in winter, though iced drinks never fully disappear.

Wild Swimming

INTERVIEW: Student Ellie Ford on founding the University’s first cold water swimming group

“Port Meadow is absolutely beautiful and a wonderful place to swim. We often swim in a different spot from other open water swimming groups in order to create a more relaxed environment – especially for our beginners. We do special beginners swims on Saturdays, to ease new members into the practise slowly and very carefully.

Safety is paramount, so I’ll walk them in to the water and they can immerse themselves as much as they want. We never allow anyone to jump or dive into cold water – the shock can cause a swimmer to gulp for air and subsequently ingest water; it’s always a gentle process.” — Ellie

Sex Difference in Female and Male Ice Swimmers

Ice Swimming

Hot Water on a Cold Day

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