Water Reticulation Design

Key Reference:
JKR Design Criteria & Standards for Water
Supply Systems Vol. 3 (1989) - obsolete
MWA Design Guidelines for Water Supply
Systems (1994) - current

State requirement

Johor
Melaka
Negeri Sembilan
Selangor
Perak
Pulau Pinang
Kedah
Perlis
Pahang
Terengganu
Kelantan
Sabah
Sarawak

Syarikat Air Johor (SAJ) Holdings Sdn Bhd

Perbadanan Air Melaka
Jabatan Bekalan Air Negeri Sembilan
Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor (Syabas) Sdn Bhd
Lembaga Air Perak
Perbadanan Air Pulau Pinang
Jabatan Bekalan Air Negeri Kedah
Jabatan Bekalan Air Negeri Perlis
Jabatan Bekalan Air Negeri Pahang
Syarikat Air Terengganu
Syarikat Air Kelantan
Lembaga Air Sabah
Lembaga Air Sarawak

Step 1: Proposed layout

Pipe length

Node

Pipe length

Pipe length

drawoff

Pipe length

drawoff

Pipe length

drawoff

drawoff

Pipe length

Pipe length

From main/
reservoir

drawoff

Step 2: Calculate water demand

Basis of calculation:
Equivalent population (EP) demand = 50 gpd
(= 225 lpd) multiplied occupancy (e.g. 4pax/room)
depending of types of building.
For institutional buildings, demand is based on
floor/ built-up area or DO directive.
For facilities (e.g. swimming pool), demand is based
on usage/ expected patronage (e.g. 100pax/day).

Description
Low Cost Terrace House /Flat
Single Storey Terrace / Low Medium & Medium Costs Flats
Double Storey Terrace House/High Cost Flats
Semi Detached House
Bungalow / Condominiums
Shophouse (Single Storey)/ Gerai
Shophouse (Double Storey)
Shophouse (Three Storey)
Light Industrial Workshop
Semi Detached / Bungalow Workshops
Heavy Industry
Medium Industry
Light Industry
Office / Complex / Commercial (Domestic Usage)
Hotels (with dining and laundry facility Domestic Usage)
- Hotel (3 star)
- Hotel (5 star)
Schools /Education Institutions
- Day School / Institution
- Fully Residential
Hospitals (domestic usage)
Mosque (domestic usage)
Other place of worship
Wet Market
Stadium
Golf course
Petrol Kiosk

Demand
1135 lpd (250 gpd)
1360 lpd (300 gpd)
1590 lpd (350 gpd)
1820 lpd (400 gpd)
2270 lpd (500 gpd)
2270 lpd (500 gpd)
2730 lpd (600 gpd)
4090 lpd (900 gpd)
1590 lpd (350 gpd)
2730 lpd (600 gpd)
65,000 l/ha/day (6,000 gal/acre/day)
50,000 l/ha/day (4,500 gal/acre/day)
33,000 l/ha/day (3,000 gal/acre/day)
1,200 lpd/100 Sq.M (250 gpd/1,000 sq.ft.)
1,360 lpd/room (300 gpd/room)
2,000 lpd/room (440 gpd/room)
55 lpd/student (12 gpd/student)
360 lpd/student (80 gpd/student)
1,100 lpd/bed (240 gpd/bed)
135 lpd/person (12 gpd/person)
55 lpd/person ( 12 gpd/person)
820 lpd/store (180 gpd/store)
55 lpd/person ( 12 gpd/person )
5500 lpd/hole (1200 gpd/hole )
5000 lpd/service bay (1080gpd/service bay)

Summary of water demand

From main/ reservoir
Qi

Q3

Q1

Q2

Q4

Q5

Step 4: Determine design flow

Peak flow = 2.5 Total water demand
Fire flow = Fire risk + Total water demand
(aka fire-fighting flow, hydrant flow at farthest location)

Design is based on whichever

MORE CRITICAL

Peak flow scenario

From main/ reservoir
2.5Qi

2.5Q3

2.5Q1

2.5Q2

2.5Q4

2.5Q5

Fire risk
Average Total Flow
( Litres per minute)

Spanning
(Meters)

Maximum number of
hydrant outlets
used simultaneously

Class A Risk
Large buildings, shopping complexes,
high rise buildings, large industrial estate,
warehouse and ports.

4100

90

Class B Risk
Congested areas with buildings up to 5
storeys.

2700

90

Class C Risk
Shophouse up to 3 storey, light industry

1370

90

Class D Risk
Residential terrace house, detached, semi
detached

1140

120-terrace
150-detached/
semi detached

Class E Risk
Others

680

180

Note: 1370 lpm = 300 gpm = 22.83 lps

Fire flow scenario

From main/ reservoir
Qfire+Qi
Q1

Q3

Q4

Q2

nQfire+Q5

Step 5: Tapping point

From existing pipe mains: available pressure H
to be determined.

Step 6: Top Water Level

TWL = Platform level + Bldg height + 3 m water tank height
Or
TWL = Platform level + 3 m suction tank height

TWL
Water tank height
Bldg height
Platform level

TWL

Step 7: Residual head (from main)

Minimum residual head = 25 ft (= 7.6 m)
(EL + H) TWL 7.6 m

(EL + H0 hf )
Available
head, H0

Main
EL

HSL = TWL + 7.6 m

Friction loss, hf
HSL
Residual head
TWL

Step 7: Residual head (from reservoir)

Available head:
H0 = Hres + (TWL BWL)/2

(EL + H) TWL 7.6 m

TWL
Water tank
BWL

Friction loss hf

Hres

(EL + H0 hf)

HSL

Residual head
EL

TWL

The pipe network below uses uniform pipe size d (mm). The flow direction and friction
losses hf calculated using Hardy-Cross method are as shown in the figure.
At point A, the elevation EL = 20 m, and the available head H0 = 22 m. The elevation of all
draw-off points are as shown, where the building height and water tank height may be
taken as 10 m and 3 m respectively. Determine whether the pipe size is suitable.

HA = 22 m
ELA = 20 m
A

ELB = 19.5 m
ELC = 19.0 m
hf = 1.2 m
hf = 1.4 m
B
C

hf = 0.9 m

hf = 1.2 m

ELD = 19.5 m

hf = 0.9 m

hf = 1.4 m

ELB = 18.5 m

hf = 0.9 m

F
ELC = 18.0 m

Conclusion: Pipe size

need to be increased to
reduce the losses!

Node

EL

TWL

Residual
Head

Node

EL

HSL

(EL+H) - HSL

20

22

40.6

1.4

19.5

20.8

40.1

0.2

19

19.4

39.6

-1.2

19.5

21.1

40.1

0.5

20

22

33

19.5

20.8

32.5

7.8

19

19.4

32

6.4

19.5

21.1

32.5

8.1

18.5

19.9

31.5

6.9

not OK

18.5

19.9

39.1

-0.7

not OK

18

18.5

31

5.5

not OK

18

18.5

38.6

-2.1

not OK

* TWL = EL + Hbldg + Htank

not OK

* HSL = TWL + 7.6 m

not OK

Determine EL + H
at tapping pt/
reservoir

Propose layout
Measure pipe L
Choose
size d

Det. drawoff point,

Calculate demand

Compare FF & PF,

Determine design flow

Det. TWL at
every node

Hardy-Cross
calculation

NO

dh = 0 in
every loop?
YES
Calculate residual at
every drawoff pt

Residual
OK?
NO

YES

END

Service reservoir/ water tank

Capacity = 1 day supply
Minimum residual head = 25 ft (= 7.6 m)
Main trunk: 1.2 Total water demand

Service reservoir/ water tank

HSL
Residual head
TWL

Pumping head
Water tank

BWL
Available
head

Pump house
Main
EL

1.2Q

2.5Q/ FF

Hazen-William Eqn
Consider h = KQn
n = 1.852
K 10.69L

(S.I. unit)
1.852

10.69 L Q
h

4.87
D
C

D 4.87C1.852

Contrast
Darcy-Weisbach eqn:

fLQ 2
h
3D 5

Using Hardy-Cross method:

Widely used in industrial application
(instead of Darcy-Weisbach eqn)
Empirical, relates head loss with flow rate.
Exponents adjusted so that roughness coefficient C is
more or less constant over a wide range of parameter.

Types of pipe

Incoming: MS pipe, DI pipe (C=110)

Beneath paved area: MS pipe, DI pipe
Marine area: DI pipe
Others: HDPE pipe (C=130)
where C = Hazen-William roughness coeff.

Minimum pipe size = 150 mm (= 6 in)

Other requirements

New main (where existing main is not sufficient)

Pump house/ Booster pump
Sluice valves, air valves, scour valves
Water meter
Fire hydrant

Sluice valves
Isolate individual pipes for maintenance.
From main/ reservoir

Construction
Trench excavation & backfill
Drain/ river crossing
Standard drawings:
Typical section
Pipe fittings/ hydrant

Minimum cover:
1.2 m for pipes buried at the side and under road.
0.9 m for pipes buried in ground away from road.

Useful units
1 m3 = 1000 litre = 264 gallon
1 bar = 10 m
100 hectar = 247.105 acre = 1 km2 = 1106 m2

Summary

Layout design
Demand calculation
Peak flow vs Fire flow
Hardy-Cross method (using Hazen-William eqn)
Chk residual head >7.6m at all drawoff point;
chg pipe size if necessary
Water tank design