BUILDING UTILITIES 1 under the Department of public
Services”, Manila.
PLUMBING
● The art and technique of HISTORY
installing pipes, fixtures, and ● In 1954, the Third Congress
other apparatuses in buildings for approved House Bill no. 929
bringing in the supply of liquids, which in June 18, 1955, became
substances and/or ingredients R.A. 1378 “Plumbing Law of
and removing them; and such the Philippines” Upon
● Water, liquid and other ratification of President Ramon
carried-wastes hazardous to Magsaysay
health, sanitation, life and ● On January 28, 1959, the
property; also the National Plumbing Code of the
● Pipes and fixtures after Philippines Prepared by NAMPAP
installation i.e, the ‘plumbing was promulgated and approved
system’ by Malacanyang
● Before Martial Law in 1972,
PLUMBING PRACTICE IN THE Republic Act no. 6541 otherwise
PHILIPPINES known as the “Building Code of
● In 1902, the plumbing trade was the Philippines” was passed
duly recognized by the with the “National Plumbing Code
government in the city of Manila. of 1959” as referral code in full
Master plumber John F. Haas text
Became the first Chief of the ● The Professional Regulation
Division of Plumbing Construction Commission (PRC) adopted the
and Inspection. A plumbing Code Revised Plumbing Code of
based on the plumbing code of 1999 which President Joseph
the United States was Estrada approved December
incorporated into the building 21,1999 pursuant to Section 4 of
code for the city of Manila. R.A. 1378 known as the
● In 1935, National Master Plumbing Law
Plumbers Association of the
Philippines (NAMPAP) was 22 BASIC PRINCIPLES OF
formally organized PLUMBING CODE
● In 1902, the Plumbing Trade was ● All premises intended for
duly recognized by the human use or habitation shall
government in the city of Manila. be provided with supply of
● Manila City Ordinanca 2411, the pure and wholesome water,
“Plumbing Code for the City of neither connected to unsafe
Manila” was enacted and placed
water supply nor subject to materials, free from defective
backflow or back-siphanage workmanship, designed and
● Plumbing fixtures, devices and constructed by registered
appurtenances shall be Master Plumbers to ensure
supplied with water in satisfactory service.
sufficient volume and pressure ● Each fixture directly connected
adequate to function satisfactorily to the drainage system shall be
and without undue noise. equipped with a water-sealed
● Devices for heating and storing trap.
water shall be so designed and ● The drainage pipes piping
installed as to prevent dangers system shall be designed to
from explosion through provide adequate circulation of
overheating air free from siphonage,
● Every building abutting on a aspiration or forcing of trap
street, alley or easement with a seals under ordinary use.
public sewer shall connect its ● Vent terminals shall extend to
plumbing fixtures to the sewer the outer air and installed to
system. prevent clogging and the
● Each family dwelling unit shall return of foul air to the building.
have at least one water closet, ● Plumbing systems shall be
one kitchen type sink, a subjected to such tests to
lavatory and a bathtub or effectively disclose all leaks
shower to meet the basic and defects in the
requirements of sanitation and workmanship
personal hygiene ● Substance which will clog the
● Plumbing fixtures shall be made pipes, produce explosive
of smooth non-absorbent mixtures, destroy the pipes or
material, free from concealed their joints or interfere unduly
fouling surfaces and shall be with the sewage-disposal
located in ventilated process shall not be allowed to
enclosures enter the building drainage
● The drainage system shall be system
designed, constructed and ● Proper protection shall be
maintained to safeguard against provided to prevent
fouling, deposit of solids, contamination of food, water,
clogging and with adequate sterile goods and similar
cleanouts so arranged that the materials by backflow of sewage.
pipes may be readily cleaned When necessary, the fixture,
● All piping shall be of durable device or appliance shall be
NAMPAP-APPROVED
connected indirectly with the innocuous through subjection to
building drainage system. some…
● No water closet shall be located
in a room or compartment which THE WATER CYCLE
is not properly lighted and
ventilated. 3 Major Phases:
● If there is no sewer system in the ● Evaporation
area, suitable provision shall be ● Condensation
made for the disposal of building ● Precipitation
sewage by some accepted
method of sewage treatment and Layers
disposal, such as a septic tank ● Gravel
● Where a plumbing drainage ● Clay
system may be subject to ● Rock or shale
backflow of sewage, suitable ● Water table (water bearing strata)
provision shall be made to ● Impervious strata
prevent its overflow in the
building. Components & Flow in Water Systems:
● Plumbing systems shall be ● Supply - water mains, storage
maintained in serviceable tanks
condition by registered master ● Distribution - Pressure, Piping
plumbers. Networks
● All plumbing fixtures shall be ● Use - Plumbing fixtures
installed properly spaced, to be ● Collection - Gravity, piping
accessible for their intended use networks
● Plumbing shall be installed with ● Disposal - Sanitary and Storm
due regard to the preservation of Sewers
the strength of the structural ● Treatment - Sewage Plants,
members and the prevention of natural purification
damage to walls and other ● Source - lakers, river, reservoirs
surfaces through fixture usage. ● (back to supply)
● Sewage or other waste from
plumbing system which may be WATER FUNCTIONS DIAGRAM
deleterious to surface or
sub-surface waters shall not be
discharged into the ground or into
any water shall not be discharged
into the ground or into any
waterway, unless first rendered
● Advantages: Easy to acquire;
Usually in large quantities
Used for irrigation, industrial
purposes and, when treated, for
community water supply.
● Disadvantages: Contains a large
amounts of bacteria, organic, and
inorganic substances; Purification
& treatment is necessary
● Flow of water (& water carried Ground Water
wastes) should always be only in ● Collection: Obtained from
one direction (from water supply) underground by means of
● The two sides should always be mechanical & manual equipment;
carefully separated from each From springs and wells and is the
other principal source of water for
domestic use in most rural areas
SOURCES OF WATER ● Advantages: Usually has an
abundant supply:
For domestic use: Requires less treatment of
Rain Water natural filtering
● Collection: COllected from roofs ● Disadvantages: May have
of buildings and special organic matter & chemical
watersheds and stored in cisterns elements; treatment is
or ponds; suggested.
Cistern water for drinking should Character of ground water, its
be boiled, chlorinated or hardness depends upon the
otherwise sterilized nature and condition of the soil
● Advantages: Water is soft & pure and rock through which it passes
and is suitable for the hot water or percolates
supply system
● Disadvantages: Only a source
during the wet season;
Storage becomes a breeding
place for mosquitoes;
Roofs may not be clean
Natural Surface Water
● Collection: Obtained from ponds,
lakes and rivers
