Special Maintenance Considerations - Effective Building Maintenance: Protection of Capital Assets - page 97

FindandRepairLeaks
In Appendix D, recommended plumbing system maintenance pro-
cedures incorporate specific requirements for inspecting and testing wa-
ter systems for leaks. When a leak is detected, it must be repaired immedi-
ately .

EnhanceWaterEficiency
•

Reduce water usage at lavatories by replacing standard aerators
with 0.5-gpm flow limiting aerators that still service hand washing
needs adequately, but reduce water consumption by 30-75%.

• Replace existing showerheads with 2.0-gpm flow limiting heads, re-

ducing water consumption by 20% or more.

• Replace existing hand-operated faucets with infrared sensor acti-

vated faucets or with faucets that use spring-loaded devices to auto-
matically turn the faucets off after 10-15 seconds of use.

• Gravity or tank type flush water closets, referred to as “high effi-

ciency toilets” are now available that require 1.3 gallons per flush
or less, saving about 20% in water consumption. Thus, replacing
code-compliant water closets with high efficiency fixtures should be
evaluated.

High efficiency urinals reduce water consumption from 1.6 gpf to
0.25-0.5 gpf. To achieve this water efficiency, these urinals typically
require automatically controlled flush valves and special fixture de-
sign.

• Older flush valve water closets can be retro-fitted with dual flush

mechanisms. When only liquid waste must be flushed, the flush
handle is moved in one direction and the water closet consumes
only about 0.8 gallon of water. When solid wastes must be flushed,
the flush handle is moved in the opposite direction and 1.6 gallons
of water is used.

A study conducted in 2003 by California authorities indicates that
the potential savings in water consumption by utilizing dual flush
water closets is significant, as shown in Table 4-4.