REVIEWER FOR ENGINEERING UTILITIES sewer or a private treatment facility (septic tank).

2 MIDTERM EXAMINATION This system is often known as DWV System

(Drainage, Waste, and Vent). The complete
MODULE 3
drainage system is subdivided into four (4) sub-
Terms and Definitions in the DWY System systems, as follows.
Building Drain – is that part of the lowest 1. Soil Drainage System – the piping that
horizontal piping of a drainage system which conveys the discharge of water closets or
receives the discharge from soil, waste, and other fixtures having similar functions (containing
drainage pipes inside the walls of the building and fecal matter), with or without the discharges
conveys it to the building sewer beginning 600mm from other fixtures).
outside the building wall. It is also known as House 2. Waste Drainage System or Sanitary
Drain. Drainage System – the piping that receives
the liquid discharge, from plumbing fixtures
Building Sewer – is that part of the horizontal other than those fixtures (water closets)
piping of a drainage system which starts from the receiving fecal matter. This piping is free of
end of the building drain and conveys it to the fecal flow.
public sewer, private sewer, individual sewage 3. Storm Drainage System – the piping
disposal system or other point of disposal. system that receives clear water drainage
House Sewer – is that part of a plumbing system from leaders, downspouts, surface run-off,
extending from the house drain at a point 600mm ground water, subsurface water, condensate
from the outside face of the foundation wall of a water, cooling water or other similar
building to the conjunction with the street sewer or discharges and conveys them to the point of
to any point of discharge and conveying the disposal. All sanitary wastes must be
drainage of one building site. excluded.
4. Vent System – the piping system that
Waste pipe – a pipe which conveys only receives a flow or air to or from a drainage
wastewater or liquid waste, free of fecal matter. system or to provide a circulation of air
Soil pipe – any pipe which conveys the discharge of within such system to protect trap seals from
water closet, urinal or fixtures having similar siphonage or back pressure.
functions, with or without the discharges from other a. Traps – permit waste and
fixtures to the building drain or building sewer. wastewater to enter the drainage
system and prevent any sewer gases
Soil Stack pipe – a vertical soil pipe conveying from entering the house. The water
fecal matter and wastewater. seal utilizes a portion of the
Vent pipe – a pipe or opening used for ensuring the wastewater to act as a barrier.
circulation of air in a plumbing system and for b. Waste Lines – carry wastes such as
relieving the negative pressure exerted on trap seals. hair, lint, grease, food scraps, etc.
Because of this function, cleanouts
Vent Stack – the vertical vent pipe installed should be located so that the entire
primarily for providing circulation of air to and system can be opened up if necessary.
from any part of the soil, waste of the drainage c. Vents – protects the water seals in
system. traps and permit them to operate
Stack Vent – the extension of a soil or waste stack effectively. By admitting air to the
above the highest horizontal drain connected to the system, vents permit atmospheric
stack. pressure on both sides of the trap seal
to be maintained and permit air to
Stack Vent Through Roof (SVTR) – the enter at the same times as gases
uppermost end of the stack vent above the roof. escape the drainage system.
d. Soil Stacks and Lines – are bigger
Branch Vent – a horizontal vent connecting one or
in diameter than the waste lines,
more individual vertical back vents with the stack or
except at ground floor or basement.
stack vent.
The Drainage Installation Components
Drainage System
1. Drainage Pipe
The drainage system is composed of the
2. Waste Pipe
piping network within a structure which conveys
3. Vent Pipe
sewage, rainwater, or other wastes from their point
of origin to a point of disposal. Such as a public
Waste pipe – is any pipe in a drainage installation 3. Individual Vent or Back Vent – a pipe
which receives the discharge of any fixture except installed to vent a fixture trap, that connects
the same to the soil branch, soil pipe or house drain. with the vent system above the fixture
served or terminates in the open air.
Soil pipe – any pipe that receives and conveys
4. Unit, Common, or Dual Vent – an
discharges of water closet, with or without the
arrangement of venting so installed that one
discharge coming from other fixtures to the house
vent pipe serve two (2) traps.
drain or house sewer is called soil pipe.
5. Relief Vent – a vertical vent line that
The word soil is affixed to pipe installation provides additional circulation of air
that carries human waste coming from the water between the drainage and vent systems or to
closet. Minus the waste coming from the water act as an auxiliary vent on a specially
closet, aid installation is called waste pipe. Soil designed system such as a “yoke vent”
pipe installed vertically is called soil stack and soil connection between the soil and vent stacks.
branch when installed horizontally. 6. Yoke or By-Pass Vent – a pipe connecting
upward from a soil or waste stack below the
Vent – is a pipe or opening that brings outside air floor and below horizontal connection to an
into the plumbing system and equalizes the pressure adjacent vent stack at a point above the floor
on both sides of a trap to prevent trap seal loss. and higher than the highest spill level of
Types of Permissible Traps fixtures for preventing pressure changes in
the stack.
 Common P-Trap – used for lavatories, 7. Circuit Vent – a group vent pipe which
kitchen sinks laundry tubs, and urinals. starts in front of the extreme (highest)
Materials commonly used for the P-trap: fixture connection on a horizontal branch
nickel, chrome plated brass, galvanized and connects to the vent stack. A.K.A. Loop
malleable copper, and PVC. Vent. Serves a battery of fixtures.
 Deep Seal P-Trap – water seal is about 8. Looped Vent – a vertical vent connection on
twice the size of the common p-trap. Used a horizontal soil or waste pipe branch at a
for extreme conditions because resealing point downstream of the last fixture
quality is greater. connection and turning to a horizontal line
 Stand Trap – used for fixtures such as slop above the highest overflow level of the
sinks that are usually built low in the ground, highest fixture connected there. Used in
leaving very little space for a foundation and spaces without partitions.
a trap. Serves as a water seal and structural 9. Wet Vent – that portion of a vent pipe
support for the fixture. through which wastewater also flows
 Running Trap – used within the line of the through.
house drain. 10. Local Vent – a pipe or shaft to convey foul
 Drum Trap – has a large diameter around air from a plumbing fixture or a room to the
0.16m. Used for fixtures that discharge large outer air.
amount of water like bathtubs, shower, or 11. Dry Vent – a vent that does not carry liquid
floor drains. or water-borne wastes.
12. Stack Vent – the vertical vent pipe installed
Vent Pipe – a pipe or opening used for ensuring the
primarily for providing circulation of air to
circulation of air in a plumbing system and for
and from any part of the soil, waste of the
relieving the negative pressure exerted on trap seals.
drainage system. The uppermost end above
Main Types of Vent Pipe the roof has traditionally been referred to as
Vent Stack Through Roof (VSTR).
1. Main Soil and Waste Vent – the ‘backbone’
13. Vent Stack
of the entire sanitary system. Connected to
the main soil and waste stack. The portion SANITARY SYSTEM PROBLEMS
where waste does not travel through.
Trap Seal Loss
Continues to the roof; the portion
penetrating the roof is called the Vent Stack 1. Direct Siphonage or Self Siphonage –
Through Roof (VSTR). occurs in unvented traps that serve oval
2. Main Vent – the principal artery of the bottom fixtures as lavatories.
venting system to which vent branches are 2. Indirect or Momentum Siphonage –
connected. A.K.A. “Collecting Vent Line” caused by large discharge of water from a
and serves as support to the Main Soil and fixture installed one or more floors above
Waste Vent. the affected fixture.
 3. Back Pressure – is caused by simultaneous  Outside Storm Drain – is installed outside
fixture use that overtaxes the plumbing the fountain wall of the building. This type
system, causing a positive pressure that of drainage is possible on location where the
affects the water seal of a trap. lot is not totally occupied by the building.
4. Capillary Action – is caused by a foreign  Overhead Storm Drain – is adopted when
object lodged in the trap. the drainage is higher in elevation than the
5. Evaporation – occurs when a fixture is not basement floor of the building. The purpose
used for a long time. The rate of evaporation is to avail of the gravity flow of the water.
in a trap depends on the humidity and
temperature of the atmosphere. Roof Leader – is popularly known as water
conductor or downspout either concealed or
House Drain (Building Drain) – it is the main exposed type. It connects the roof terminal to the
horizontal drainpipe inside the building. It is where storm drain.
all other branch house drains connect. Its function is
to direct route waste and rain water to the house
sewer, which is technically begins 5 feet past the
foundation wall of any building.
House Drain Appliances
1. House Trap
a. House trap assembly
b. Back flow valves
c. Balanced valve
d. Unbalanced valve
2. Area Drain
3. Floor Drain
4. Yard Catch Basin
5. Garage Catch Basin
a. Drain tile receptor
b. Sewage ejector
c. Automatic water siphon
d. Sump pit
e. Grease basins
House Sewer – is defined as that proportion of the
horizontal drainage system which start from the
outer face of the building and terminate at the main
sewer in the street or septic tank.
Main Sewer – it is financed and maintained by the
government. Those houses along the street with
main sewer line are required to connect their house
sewers to the public.
Storm Drain – it is that unit of the plumbing
system that conveys rain or storm water to a suitable
terminal.
Splash Plan – is a collector of water coming down
from the downspout leading the accumulated water
away from the house at a relatively low rater of flow.
Classification of Storm Drain
 Inside Storm Drain – located under the
basement or within the walls of the buildings.
It is commonly found in buildings
constructed along congested business district
or building that occupies the entire frontage
of the lot.