State Facilities Plumbing Fixtures

• Project Type: General OWC
• Project Name: Water Efficiency Plans for State Agencies
• Title: Uniform Plumbing Code Amendments
• Date: 1/1/1991
• Water Conservation - Doc Type: Reports

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7. Has the existing system ever experienced drain line problems associated with urine salts?
This problem is often referred to as plumbers stone, plumbers sugar and plumbers rock.
If this is a familiar problem, consider replacing existing cast iron, galvanized or copper
pipe with plastic piping at the effected area. Plastic is inherently less susceptible to build
up of urine salts.

MAINTENANCE
As with tank-type toilets, replacement of flushometer-type toilets and urinals may produce unique
maintenance requirements. Ask the manufacturer for the hydraulic performance data as required
by the ANSI standards to help in selecting a new model. Also, consider the following
maintenance criteria.

I. Find out what maintenance is required fo the flush valve to ensure proper performance.

2. If repair parts are needed, are they readily available "off shelf" or will they need to be
special ordered. Common repair parts include relief valves, molded discs, diaphragms
and vacuum breakers.

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RETROFIT

CONSERVATION RETROFIT CONSIDERATIONS. MANY EXISTING TANK TYPE
TOILETS CAN AND SHOULD BE RETROFITTED WITH CURRENTLY A V AILABLE
WATER CONSERVATION RETROFIT DEVICES. (EXCEPT WHERE REMODELING OR
REPLACING EXISTING TOILETS.) THERE ARE, HOWEVER, SOME PROBLEMS
ASSOCIATED WITH THE RETROFIT OF EXISTING TOILETS. A DISCUSSION OF THE
PROBLEMS AND THE APPLICABLE DEVICES FOLLOWS;

WATER DISPLACEMENT DEVICES: (BAGS, DAMS AND SHORT FLUSH FLAPPERS)
DISPLACEMENT BAGS; ALTHOUGH THESE DEVICES ARE LOW IN INITIAL COST,
NOT ALL TOILETS ARE CONDUCIVE TO RETROFIT POSSIBILITIES. DISPLACEMENT
BAGS MAY DETERIORATE AND BECOME RENDERED USELESS, OR MAY CAUSE
PROBLEMS WITH OPERATION OF THE TOILETINTERNAL WORKING PARTS. MANY
COMPONENTS OF MUNICIPAL WATER HAVE A TENDENCY TO ATTACK THE
PLASTIC COMPONENTS, CAUSING THEM TO FAIL AT AN EARLY AGE. (2 TO 5
YEARS DEPENDING ON WATER QUALITY, USE ETC...) IF THESE DEVICES ARE
CHOSEN, IT IS NECESSARY TO IMPLEMENT A TWICE YEARLY INSPECTION AND
REPLACEMENT PROGRAM. THE ECONOMICS OF A DEVICE OF THIS TYPE ARE
GENERALLY GOOD, BUT WHEN EXAMINED FROM A POTENTIAL WATER
REDUCTION STAND POINT, THEIR SAVINGS POTENTIAL ARE NOT AS HIGH AS
COMPLETE REPLACEMENT WITH A U.L.V. THIS METHOD OF CONSERVATION IS