So…, it looks like we are beginning to see some sort of return to our “New Normal”
As Sydney enters its 14th week of hard lockdowns, we have been focusing on COVID dashboards but before reopening we need to understand what’s happening to our un-used drains and pipes in all those buildings and hotel rooms, kitchens, washroom, and utility areas.
The scale and sludge made up of bacteria, organics, fats and oils built up over time will solidify without water regularly running through them. Like cholesterol, this will cause pipes to clog. The only protection from the sewer is the physical water barrier in each P-trap. This water barrier would more than likely be dried out leaving our habitable environments exposed. Even if it hasn’t completely dried out, the stagnant water is thriving with bacterial biofilm that is ideal haven for many pests and could pose a much greater threat to safety and pathogen infiltration.
If you manage a large venue or hotel, each room has drainage for wastewater points that are individually compartmentalised and must be protected from the sewer network. Related article by Princeton University published January 19th, 2021
Responding to water stagnation in buildings with reduced or no water use
The compliant plumbing layout may not be so compliant during lockdowns and low occupancy – it is reliant on someone or something to prime/charge it…, use the sinks and drains.
Assuming the building’s pipe network layabouts have been set according to the Building Codes and Australian standards, there are no protection consideration or pathways for intermittent or non-charging of traps. Even if the building has automatic trap primers, these are expensive to install, run and need to be regularly replaced. Not to mention the sustainable impact of wasting 000’s of litres of clean drinking water simple to charge each trap!
Given that Plumbing and Building codes look at design layout but do not take into consideration the intermittent charging and possible long periods of in-use. The plumbing fixtures might be laid to specification however, can still fail to protect compartmented settings under lock downs etc.
Drain protection in Hospitality
Martin Stone, Technical Director of HACCP International explains –
Floor drainage in a food premise is an important part of the sanitation system and provides for waste and water on the floor surface to be efficiently and continuously disposed of. However, mismanaged drainage systems are a platform for food safety hazards.
Firstly, traps that have been allowed to dry out do not do their job of separating the food zone from the sanitary waste system and allow a direct connection from the sewer into the food premise, an obvious concern in terms of a source for microbiological contamination.
Secondly, drains can be a breeding ground and harbourage for pests which emerge directly into the food zone and provide significant sources of contamination. Both these hazards become more likely to occur during times of intermittent operation, for example during a forced lockdown. A system of eliminating these two potential hazards continuously is highly recommended for any food premise.
Green Drains Asia Pacific offers an innovative self-sealing supplementary protective device. It is cost-efficient and a more sustainable approach to safeguard against infrequent use of sinks and drains, as well as not requiring water to protection against loss of trap.
The Green Drain TM promotes not only water savings but also minimising corrosive, harsh chemicals polluting our waterways. The HACCP International certified solution is offered by a global distribution network of companies that believe in providing a more sustainable solution to solve commonly shared wastewater related problem.
Eddie Bocchino – MD of Green Drains Asia Pacific says..
“The Green Drain TM is a simple, yet effective, non-chemical tool to seal out unwanted pests, odours and isolates room to room transmissions. It just makes sense to stop wasting water, practice preventative maintenance and safeguard our habitable environments”.
The Green Drain Protection Program includes the use of Bio-Active enzymatic solutions. For more info visit their webpage.
