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This DIY guide looks at the various cold water systems found within a home that include direct cold water systems and indirect cold water systems and how each of these systems works to supply water to a variety of appliances.
A water supply system in a tall building typically involves the use of pumps to deliver water to upper floors. The system is designed to ensure that there is adequate water pressure and flow rate throughout the building, even at higher elevations.
The first (diagram 1 and 2 below), uses water supplied ‘directly’ from the water main, called a direct system and the other method (diagram 3 below) uses a storage tank (cistern) to give a store of cold water, then distributes the water around the home, known as an indirect system.
The Indirect System In this system the cold water to the bath, basin and w.e. is supplied 'indirectly' from the cold water storage cistern, thus preventing back siphonage of foul water from the sanitary fittings into the company's main.
The provision of a cold water supply to a building is often to satisfy three demands: water for drinking, water for general usage, and water for fire fighting. In the United Kingdom it is a statutory requirement of the Water Acts1 that every dwelling shall be supplied with drinking water.
The indirect system of cold water supply has only one drinking water outlet, at the sink. The cold water storage cistern has a minimum capacity of 230 litres, for location in the roof space. The high-rise cold water supply systems have a non-return valve fitted to the outlet of each booster pump.
