Building

Utilities
Monday 12:00 5:00
Prof. De Guzman
Pascual, Khristine Lerie D.

December 7, 2015
Basic Principle of Plumbing
The basic principles of the 1999 National Plumbing Code of the Philippines
are an update of the tenets established in the "Plumbing Law of the Philippines"
approved on 18 June 1955 as amended on 28 November 1959.
The basic goal of the 1999 National Plumbing Code of the Philippines is to
ensure the unqualified observance of the latest provisions of the plumbing and
environmental laws.
Principle No. 1
A11 premises intended for human habitation, occupancy or use shall be
provided with a supply of pure and wholesome water, neither connected with unsafe
water supplies nor subject to hazards of backflow or back-siphonage.
Principle No. 2
Plumbing fixtures, devices and appurtenances shall be supplied with water
in sufficient volume and at pressure adequate to enable them to function
satisfactorily and without undue noise under all normal conditions of use.
Principle No.3
Plumbing shall be designed and adjusted to use the minimum quantity of
water consistent with proper performance and cleaning.
Principle No. 4
Devices for heating and storing water shall be so designed and installed as to
prevent dangers from explosion through overheating.
Principle No. 5
Every building having plumbing fixtures installed and intended for human
habitation, occupancy or use on premises abutting on a street, alley or easement
where there is a public sewer shall be connected to the sewer system.
Principle No.6

Each family dwelling unit on premises abutting on a sewer or with a private

sewage-disposal system shall have at least one water closet and one kitchen type
sink. Further, a lavatory and bathtub or shower shall be installed to meet the basic
requirements of sanitation and personal hygiene.
Principle No.7
Plumbing fixtures shall be made of smooth nonabsorbent material, free from
concealed fouling surfaces and shall be located in ventilated enclosures.

Principle No. 8
The drainage system shall be designed, constructed and maintained to
safeguard against fouling, deposit of solids, clogging and with adequate cleanouts so
arranged that the pipes may be readily cleaned.
Principle No. 9
All piping of plumbing systems shall be of durable NAMPAPAPPROVED
materials, free form defective workmanship, designed and constructed by Registered
Master Plumbers to ensure satisfactory service.
Principle No. 10
Each fixture directly connected to the drainage system shall be equipped with
a water-sealed trap.
Principle No. 11
The drainage piping system shall be designed to provide adequate circulation
of air free from siphonage, aspiration or forcing of trap seals under ordinary use.
Principle No. 12
Vent terminals shall extend to the outer air and installed to preempt clogging
and the return of foul air to the building.
Principle No. 13
Plumbing systems shall be subjected to such tests to effectively disclose all leaks
and defects in the workmanship.

Principle No. 14
No substance which will clog the pipes, produce explosive mixture, destroy
the pipes or their joints or interfere unduly with the sewage-disposal process shall
be allowed to enter the building drainage system.
Principle No. 15
Proper protection shall be provided to prevent contamination of food, water,
sterile goods and similar materials by backflow of sewage. When necessary, the
fixture, device or appliance shall be connected indirectly with the building drainage
system.
Principle No. 16
No water closet shall be located in a room or compartment which is not properly
lighted and ventilated.

Principle No. 17
If water closets or other plumbing fixtures are installed in buildings where
there is no sewer within a reasonable distance, suitable provision shall be made for
disposing of the building sewage by some accepted method of sewage treatment and
disposal, such as a septic tank.
Principle No. 18
Where a plumbing drainage system may be subject to backflow of sewage,
suitable provision shall be made to prevent its overflow in the building.
Principle No. 19
Plumbing systems shall be maintained in serviceable condition by Registered
Master Plumbers.
Principle No. 20
All plumbing fixtures shall be installed properly spaced, to be accessible for
their intended use.

Principle No. 11
Plumbing shall be installed by Registered Master Plumbers with due regard
to the preservation of the strength of structural members and the prevention of
damage to walls and other surfaces through fixture usage.
Principle No. 22
Sewage or other waste from a plumbing system which may be deleterious to
surface or sub-surface waters shall not be discharged into the ground or into any
waterway, unless first rendered innocuous through subjection to some acceptable
form of treatment.

Definitions
A
ADS - Acrylonitrile-ButadieneStyrene

ALLEY - any public space, public park or thoroughfare less than three (3) meters
but not less than two (2) meters in width dedicated or deeded for public use.

ALTER or ALTERATION - any change, addition or modification in construction or

occupancy.

ACCESSIBLE - when applied to a fixture, connection, appliance or equipment,

shalt mean having access thereto, but which may require prior removal of an access
panel, door or similar obstruction. "Readily accessible" shall mean direct access
without the necessity of removing any panel, door or similar obstruction.

AIRBREAK - a physical separation, which may be a low inlet into the indirect
waste receptor from the fixture, appliance or device indirectly connected.

AIR GAP, DRAINAGE - the unobstructed vertical distance through the free
atmosphere between the lowest opening from any pipe, plumbing fixture, appliance
or appurtenance conveys waste to the flood level rim of the receptor.

AIR GAP, WATER DISTRIBUTION- an unobstructed vertical distance through

the free atmosphere between the lowest opening from any pipe or faucet conveying
potable water to the flood-level rim of any tank, vat or fixture.

APPROVED - accepted or acceptable under an applicable specifications or standard

stated or cited in this Code, or accepted as suitable for any proposed use under
procedures and powers of the Administrative Authority.

APPROVED TESTING AGENCY - an organization primarily established t()r

purposes of testing to approve standards and approved by the Administrative
Authority.
AUTHORITY, ADMINISTRATIVE - The Administrative Authority including the
Building Official, the Commission, the Board and such other department or agency
established and authorized to administer and enforce the provisions of Republic Act
13 78 - The Plumbing Code of the Philippines, Presidential Decree No. 223~ as

amended by P.D. 657 - creating the Professional Regulation Commission and

prescribing its powers and functions, and Letter of Instruction No. 1000 - ordering
and directing the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC), the former
Ministry of Human Settlements, the Departments of Foreign Affairs, Education and
Culture, Public Works and Highways, Tourism, Transportation and Communication
all SOOT agencies concerned, to authorize and support PRC Accredited Bonafide
Professional Organizations only, and their members to organize, host, sponsor or
represent the Filipino Professionals in national, regional and international for a,
conventions where the concerned professions arc involved; and further orders and
directs that all government agencies and instrumentalities shall give priority to
bonafide members of the accredited professional organizations in the hi1 in!l of its
employees and engagement of professional services.

B
BACKFLOW- the flow of water or other liquids, mixtures or substances into the
distributing pipes of a potable supply of water from any source other than from its
intended source.
BACKFLOW CONNECTION - condition or any arrangement whereby reverse flow
can occur.

BACKPRESSURE BACKFLOW - occurs due to an increased reverse pressure

above the supply pressure. This may be due to pumps, boilers, gravity or other
sources of pressure.

BACKFIOW PREVENTER - device or means to prevent flow of liquid from

returning to the source of supply. Also called vacuum breaker.

BACK-SIPHONAGE - the flowing back of used, contaminated or polluted water

from a plumbing fixture or vessel into a water supply pipe due to a negative
pressure in such pipe. See backflow.

BACKWATER VALVE - a device installed in a drainage system to prevent reverse

flow.

BACKVENT PIPE - the part of a vent line, which connects directly with an
individual trap underneath or behind the fixture and extends to the branch or main
vent pipe at any point higher than the fixture or fixture traps it serves. This is
sometimes called an individual vent. See Revent pipe.

BALL COCK - a valve opened and closed by the fall and rise, respectively, of an
attached ball floating on the surface of the liquid.

BALL JOINT- a type of pipe connection in which a ball-shaped end is held in a

cuplike shell and allows movements in every direction.

BATHROOM - a room equipped with a shower stall or bathtub.

BATTERY OF FIXTURES- any of two or more similar adjacent fixtures which

discharge into a common horizontal soil or waste branch.

BELL or HUB - that portion of a pipe which, for a short distance, is sufficiently
enlarged to receive the end of another pipe of the same diameter for the purpose of
making a caulked or push-on joint.

BENDING PIN (or IRON) - a tool for straightening or bending lead pipe.
BIBB- synonymous with faucet, cock, tap, plug, etc. The word "faucet" is preferred.

BIDET - A plumbing fixtures used for washing the middle private part of the body,
especially the genitals. Also called a "sitz" bath.
BLANK FLANGE - A pipe flange that is not drilled for bolt holes.

BLIND FLANGE - a flange that closes the end of a pipe. There is no opening for
the passage of liquid or gas.
BLOWOFF - a controlled outlet of a pipeline to discharge liquid or detritus.
BOARD - the Licensure Board for Master Plumbers
BOILER BLOW-OFF- a valved outlet of a boiler that permits discharge of
accumulated sediment.
BRANCH -- any part of the piping system other than a main, riser or stack .
BRANCH INTERVAL- a length of soil or waste stack corresponding in general to a
story height, but in no case less than 2.43 meters within which the horizontal
branches from one floor or story of a building are connected to the stack
BRANCH, FIXTURE- see Fixture Branch
BRANCH, HORIZONTAL- see Horizontal Branch
BRANCH VENT- a horizontal vent connecting one or more individual vertical back
vents with the vent stack or stack vent.
BRAZED JOINT - any joint obtained by joining of metal parts with alloys which
melt at temperatures higher than 449 degrees centigrade, but lower than the
melting temperature of the parts to be joined.

PUBLIC SEWER - a common sewer directly controlled by public authority to which

all abutters have equal rights of connections

.
WATER CLOSET - A plumbing fixture used to receive human excrement and to
discharge it through a waste pipe, using water as a conveying medium. Kitchen sink

- a sink in a kitchen for washing dishes, vegetables, etc.

LAVATORY - a fixture designed for the washing of the hands or face. Sometimes
called a wash basin.

BATHTUB - bath or tub (informal) is a large container for holding water in which a
person may bathe.

TRAP - a fitting or device designed and constructed to provide , when properly

vented, a liquid seal which prevents the backflow of foul air or methane gas without
materially affecting the flow of sewage or wastewater through it.

SHOWER- A shower is a place in which a person bathes under a spray of, typically
warm or hot, water with a drain in the floor

CLEAN OUT - an opening or passage giving access to a place that requires

occasional cleaning, as a soil pipe.
TRAP SEAL - the maximum vertical depth of liquid that a trap will retain,
measured between the crown weir and the top of the dip of the trap