Evening star., 1938-06-04
j. OF IOWA STUDIES.
PLUMBING DESIGN.
Research Seeking Better
Installation and Added
Health Protection,

To provide the home builder with
q better plumbing system an ex-
tensive program of research in piping
design and installation and the OPP
Grafton OF plumbing fixtures is under
way at the Institute of Hydraulic
Research at the State University Of
Iowa.
The purpose Of the research pro-
gram is to subject everything in con-
nection with the household plumbing
system to laboratory tests. Improved
methods of installation with more
positive protection to health is the
aim of the activity.
The research program is sponsored
by the National Association of Master
Plumbers and the leading manufac-
turers Of plumbing and allied equip
ment.
The Institute of Hydraulic Research
at the State University of Iowa was
selected because of its unique facili-
ties for research. The work is car
ried out by members of the faculty
of hydraulic and sanitary engineering
In cooperation with medical men,
psychologists, chemists and public
health officials.
Health Is Concern.
The research program was launched
as result of two recent reports by
the United States Public Health Serv-
ice covering plumbing in hotels in
Chicago and Federal buildings in
New York and Detroit.
These reports by the United States
Public Health Service indicated that
under certain conditions some plumb
ing systems might permit the drink
ing water supply of buildings to be-
come polluted with the waste water.
Eager to correct this condition with
all possible speed, the plumbing in
dustry authorized the Institute Of
Hydraulic Research at the State Uni
versity of Iowa to subject current prac-
tices in installation to critical analy-
sis with the object of developing
methods that would be 100 per cent
effective in protecting the purity of
the water supply
A report on the research work car
ried on during the past year has Just
been issued and is entitled Report
on Plumbing Cross Connections and
Back-Siphonage Research"
Proper Installation.
ITO a great extent" says the insti-
tute in its report, dependence for
proper plumbing installation must be
placed on the designer and contractor.
1t IS therefore imperative that all
water piping to all the individual fix
lures and units Of equipment must
be installed by persons who possess,
and are required to possess by law,
knowledge of the flow of fluids and
the action of back siphonage and an
understanding of the dangers of bac-
terial infection Of the water supply.
THE proper and correct installa-
ton of no other part of the plumbing
system is SO important to the pres
ervation of public health as that of
the water supply piping.
IF the water supply is insufficient,
or If it becomes contaminated, a
plumbing system has failed in its
most important function-that OF
providing proper sanitation and pre-
serving health.
Most of the vacuums that occur
in water pipes are caused by i'm
proper pipe sizing and the use of
fittings and valves which introduce
excessive friction loss At least 80
per cent of all vacuum formations
and, therefore, 80 per cent of the
hazards of back siphonage could be
prevented if water piping systems
were sized and installed correctly"