In recent years, interest in water conservation and improved sanitation has resulted in several changes in plumbing fixtures. Battery-operated faucets have become relatively common in public-space sinks, where they help reduce waterusage and improve sanitation, since guests do not touch the handles of faucets. Battery-operated flush valves in public restrooms are also commonly found. In the guestroom, tank-type toilets (which do not lend themselves to batteryoperated valves) are still the most common type. In order to reduce the water usage of guestroom toilets, new toilets are designed to use a smaller amount of water (typically 1.6 gallons) for flushing. To improve the performance of toilets while using a smaller amount of water, some hotels have begun specifying pressureassisted toilet valves. These use the existing water pressure to create compressed air that is then injected to assist with waste removal. While this approach creates more noise than traditional tank toilets, the performance of the pressure-assisted units is generally more satisfactory, albeit at a higher initial cost.

Building wastewater systems are generally designed to use a gravity flow system; pumps are used only when necessary. This is the reason the bathroomceilings in lodging facilities are often lower than the ceilings in other parts of the guestrooms?the facilities in the rooms above need space to run waste lines which rely on a gravity flow. Piping systems for wastewater use cast iron or plastic piping (usually PVC) and are designed to withstand lower pressures than water systems. Valves are rarely found in wastewater systems at the property level. Anything that slows or constricts flow in gravity flow systems should be avoided.

Wastewater system components dealing with grease will have the wastewater flow through agrease separator(also known as a grease trap). Most municipal sewage treatment systems require the removal of grease, because of its negative effect on waste treatment system operation. Grease separators are mounted either in the floor area or attached to a piece of equipment. Wastewater enters the top of the unit; the unit slows the water's flow in a holding tank (which encourages separation of grease), and then moves the water toward the outlet, where it is filtered before discharge to the sanitary sewer. Grease separators should be periodically cleaned or pumped to remove the grease buildup; this task is often performed by a contract service. If additional filters are present in the separator, these should be checked, cleaned, and replaced as needed.

A few lodging properties operate their own sewage treatment facilities. While some small operators function with a septic tank under these circumstances, most others operate wastewater treatment plants. Proper operation of these facilities is extremely important because of the potentially adverse environmental consequences that can result from malfunctions. However, the extremely specialized operating and maintenance issues involved in operating a wastewater treatment plant are beyond the scope of this chapter. Operators with on-site sewage treatment facilities are encouraged to contact their state office of environmental protection, their state health department, or their equipment supplier for operating suggestions and guidelines. (One good source for operating instructions is the Water Environment Federation, 601 Wythe Street, Alexandria, Virginia 22314- 1994;www.wef.org)

Water systems in lodging buildings are usually designed to group rooms together vertically, particularly in high-rise designs. In addition, whether highrise or low-rise, lodging buildings are usually designed to have guestroom bathrooms back-to-back. These two design features result in a grouping of rooms in sets of two by floor and vertically within the guestroom blocks for the supply of potable water and removal of waste. This grouping into plumbingrisers,as they are known, has maintenance implications. For example, it will sometimes be necessary to shut down groups of rooms above and below a location that has a water system problem in order to perform needed maintenance.

Water supply systems may use a small recirculation loop on hot water lines to keep hot water flowing within the pipes of the building. A recirculation loop minimizes the chance that a guestroom will end up at the end of a long pipe full of cold "hot" water.

Because wastewater systems rely on gravity flow and are open to atmospheric pressure on the user's end, they are vented to the atmosphere and havetraps.Traps are water-filled sections of pipe that keep sewer gases and odors from entering the building.

Both water and wastewater systems may utilize insulated pipes. Water system pipes are insulated to prevent heat loss from hot water piping and to prevent condensation on cold water piping. Roof drain piping is also often insulated to prevent condensation that can lead to wet walls and ceilings. When maintenance or renovation involving water systems is performed, replacement of this insulation is very important.

Water systems for fire protection include sprinklers and fire standpipes. Standpipes are used for hose systems installed at the property and for supplying hoses brought by the fire department. These fairly simple systems require little maintenance, relying on water supplied from the water main or the hydrant and pump of the fire truck.

It is much easier to meet maintenance and emergency needs related to water systems if the elements of each subsystem are clearly identified. Each pipe, valve, and pump should indicate the subsystem it belongs to and the water flow direction within the piping. Since pipes are also used to circulate water for HVAC applications, a code is sometimes developed to identify piping. Often, the code is alphabetic (CWR for chilled water return, for example); sometimes a color code system is used. Maintenance staff and key management personnel should know the location of water system shutoffs in order to reduce potential damage during emergencies.

1. As you arrive for work today, your boss greets you and lets you know that a group from Waterville, a nearby city considering to build a new wastewater facility, will be visiting your wastewater facility next week. Your boss is asking you to prepare PowerPoint presentation to present to the group that will highlight best practices for managing wastewater systems in a facility.Using figure 5, identify the best practices for managing the subdivisions of the facility wastewater systems that are identified in figure 5.
   1. a. Roof Drainage b. Parking lot drainage c. Site drainage d. Grease producing e. kitchens f. Non-grease producing g. guestrooms h. Laundries i. restrooms j. Others

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