Large Office Water Supply methods

[ahdguy]

Yes this is as dull as it sounds. My colleagues seem to believe on top of our rather large office is an enormous water tank a la towering inferno style, and if the water is switched off then the wash basins loos etc can be used until the mythical 'Tank' is empty, (also thrown in for good measure is that it is a legal requirement to have a water tank on the roof)? Could be true I suppose, but I thought would be for sprinkler systems rather than loos/wash basins.

I may have to eat humble pie here, but I would have thought more likely a number of water heaters etc for hot water in a plant room, and then mains pressure with pumps/boosters/pressure valves at height 'X', rather than enormous tank at the top of the building like the central heating overflow tank, with which I think they may be being confused with, and thus if the incoming mains is switched off then its one flush only.....

Over to more eminently knowledgeable types (with more interesting colleagues)...

[sleep envy]

you can have it for both scenarios but each tank will be separate

bear in mind from next year mains pressure will be reduced to 1 bar throughout the country so those of you whole live in flats and are above the 4th floor make sure you have booster sets to get water into your tank

the reason they will reduce the pressure is because then need to reduce water loss in cracked mains and it's easier to reduce the pressure than repair the mains - nice

[10 Pence Short]

ahdguy said:

Yes this is as dull as it sounds. My colleagues seem to believe on top of our rather large office is an enormous water tank a la towering inferno style, and if the water is switched off then the wash basins loos etc can be used until the mythical 'Tank' is empty, (also thrown in for good measure is that it is a legal requirement to have a water tank on the roof)? Could be true I suppose, but I thought would be for sprinkler systems rather than loos/wash basins.

I may have to eat humble pie here, but I would have thought more likely a number of water heaters etc for hot water in a plant room, and then mains pressure with pumps/boosters/pressure valves at height 'X', rather than enormous tank at the top of the building like the central heating overflow tank, with which I think they may be being confused with, and thus if the incoming mains is switched off then its one flush only.....

Over to more eminently knowledgeable types (with more interesting colleagues)...

Some buildings are still tank fed. I used to work for a company installing mains fed water coolers in offices and these tended to mean there wouldn't be the water pressure for them to work very well.

[ahdguy]

FWIW, the office I work is a modern block over 30 stories tall.

[paolow]

It certainly used to be a legal requirement (after the blitz) that buildings had to have a large supply of water on the premises so that fires etc could still be fought and life could still go on when the mains supply was disrupted. I know this was repealed but surprisingly recently.

[Ganglandboss]

ahdguy said:

Yes this is as dull as it sounds. My colleagues seem to believe on top of our rather large office is an enormous water tank a la towering inferno style, and if the water is switched off then the wash basins loos etc can be used until the mythical 'Tank' is empty, (also thrown in for good measure is that it is a legal requirement to have a water tank on the roof)? Could be true I suppose, but I thought would be for sprinkler systems rather than loos/wash basins.

I may have to eat humble pie here, but I would have thought more likely a number of water heaters etc for hot water in a plant room, and then mains pressure with pumps/boosters/pressure valves at height 'X', rather than enormous tank at the top of the building like the central heating overflow tank, with which I think they may be being confused with, and thus if the incoming mains is switched off then its one flush only.....

Over to more eminently knowledgeable types (with more interesting colleagues)...

Some large commecial buildings do and some don't; there is no legal requirement to have a tank but you will need a booster set for relatively tall buildings.

Water Tank

Advantages:

• Stored water available if the supply fails
• Steady water pressure

Dis-advantages:

• Higher risk of bacterial infection - chlorination, regular tank inspections needed etc.
• High loads on the building structure

Direct

Advantages:

• Less risk of bacterial infection - lower maintenance
• Less space is taken up by tanks
• Minimal structural load

Dis-advantages:

• No back-up if the supply is lost

Sprinklers may or may not need tanks; some are mains fed. Sprinklers have to have a dedicated tank as the pipework will form huge 'dead legs' where bacteria can breed.

Edited by Ganglandboss on Thursday 14th May 18:55

[MartG]

I did hear that when the IRA bomb went off in Manchester there was more damage done to the ICL offices by the flood caused by a rooftop water tank collapsing than was done by the bomb