The sanitary facilities provide water to the residents, which are the necessary conditions for comfortable life in the modern world. Water supply is a very important aspect of any building, both residential and non-residential. The water supply system in a high rise building is a large and united complex of pumping and pipe equipment with water filters and regulators installed in it.

Establishing the sanitary facilities for a building with numerous apartments is a rather complicated task.

Let us review some aspects of modern high rise plumbing schemes and rules.

Reasons for Water Pipe Replacement
Plumbing repairs can occur on different occasions. This may involve repairing a water leak, or simply repairing or installing sanitary equipment. Pipes, like any other system, sooner or later can be broken. Plumbing problems can cause great inconvenience to tenants of an apartment building. Some problems may take several days or even a whole week to resolve. Therefore, it is important to periodically check how the plumbing system works and to repair the water pipes in the house in time.

Replacing the pipes is usually done due to the following cases: if the expiration period of the installed pipes has expired, or if they somehow malfunction or has been damaged. Other options are also possible: for example, increased pressure in the system. Replacing pipes in a multi-storey house is done by the one who is responsible for the breakdown. If the sanitary facilities have been damaged by the owner of the apartment, then they are the one who has to replace it. The owner has the right to choose the service that will be doing the repair works. It is strongly advised to entrust your plumbing to a professional, which will ensure a functional and standard installation. Regarding the price of plumbing, the cost of a plumbing installation will directly depend on the difficulty of the required works.

Types of Water Supply Systems
Centralized water supply is by far the most suitable and convenient option for those who live in a high rise building. Such a system usually provides high-quality water under a proper level of pressure in the pipes. Typically, water goes into pumping stations from a water reservoir located on the surface (somewhere outside the building). Water tanks are usually placed in the distance from any sources of pollution to prevent water contamination.

When water leaves the pumping station, it then goes into a certain reservoir and fills it. Afterwards, it must be purified. This process involves several steps and includes both chemical and mechanical purification. After being cleaned, it then enters the distribution network to supply water to the high rise building. The sanitary facilities function properly if the pipes themselves are of a high quality and the piping is done well, by a group of qualified specialists. The system pressure and other technical requirements are also very important for proper functioning of the entire system.

There are mainly two types of water supply system available: the first one is indirect water supply system, the second one is direct water supply system. The indirect water supply system is widely used in developing countries, for example India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Asian countries. The direct water supply system is used in devolved countries (for example, America and European countries). When the pressure in the municipal water line is sufficient, the direct water supply system uses only one main tank in the underground. This system is more economical than indirect water supply system. Water can be supplied at any pressure at any floor.

Pipes that can be used for water supply

-Steel Pipes;
They are relatively affordable and durable. They are widely presented in every building material store. Despite that fact, steel pipes are rarely used in modern buildings. Installing steel pipes is not cheap and takes a lot of time and expertise. The disadvantage of such a system is the fact that there is a tendency for condensate to gather on it. It can gradually damage the pipe material and form rust plaque. The inside layer of rust will reduce the volume of the pipe and contaminate the water.

-Copper Pipes;
The biggest benefit of using copper pipes is the service life, which can reach up to 50 years. They are very durable and relatively inexpensive. Copper has antibacterial properties and is resistant to rust. Many materials become fragile when the temperature drops. Copper is an exception to this rule, which is especially valuable for regions with low temperatures.

-Metal-plastic pipes;
Nowadays, metal-plastic pipes are widely used for high rise building plumbing. They are quite practical, durable and safe. They have smooth walls, and therefore do not accumulate plaque. They are able to withstand a significant amount of mechanical and physical load. Metal pipelines fail much more often than metal-plastic ones, as the former have poor resistance to corrosive influences. Installation of a metal-plastic water supply system is not a particularly difficult process, which is also their advantage. The installation requires a certain amount of special instruments, though.

Overall, the water supply system of a high rise building can be constructed and function in several different ways. The way in which distribution of pipes is of high importance, so it has to be taken into consideration too.