PilotCity indoor installation

Drinking water installation test set-up

When drinking water is delivered to the end-user, it then flows into the building’s drinking water installation. From that point on, these installations can be the cause of changes in the drinking water quality. One factor complicating the investigation of these changes in water quality in practice is the existence of a wide variety of installations. For instance, the last century has seen the installation of a rich variety of pipes, in terms of materials (lead, copper, plastics), diameter and of length (depending on the floor surface and the building height, and the location of kitchens and warm drinking water systems). There is also a great variety of taps, toilets and much more besides. In addition, the water’s flowing (and standing) in the installation depends on the consumption at each tap in the home – including the washing machine and dishwasher. And this consumption varies from person to person, and from day to day.

The quality of water in the indoor drinking water installation can change as a result of a wide range of factors. For instance, because the water stands in the pipe and is in contact with the pipe wall, or because of the growth of biofilm on the pipe wall, or the warming of the water up to room temperature. In a test set-up, which offers full control over each of these factors, one can investigate their individual impact. KWR is building such a test set-up on a 1:1 scale. All points-of-use, such as the kitchen tap, the washing machine and the toilet, will take the form of actuators, and the opening and closing of the valves will be programmed on the basis of stochastic consumption patterns (from SIMDEUM).

Metals in drinking water and biofilm

With the KWR test set-up it will for example be possible to investigate lead release from pipes, including its potential dispersal and diffusion through the drinking water installation, and how this can be best monitored. Another possibility concerns the development of biofilm in the pipes in relation to usage and temperature, and the warming of the installation, connecting pipe or meter box. The set-up can also be used to correlate measurements with high-frequency digital water meters to the programmed water consumption. Thus, a study can also be made of possible extra information the digital water meters might supply.