Office Water Supply: Design & Installation

A well-planned office water supply is one of the basic engineering systems that shapes everyday comfort for staff: the kitchen, restrooms and cleaning points. The core task of water supply is to transport water to consumers as conveniently as possible, at the lowest cost but with high operational reliability. Mistakes at the design or installation stage later turn into leaks, weak pressure and expensive rework.

In this guide we look at what a water supply system consists of, how cold and hot water pipes differ, what types of water routing exist, and what to consider during an office renovation. It will be useful for business owners and managers planning to set up or update the engineering networks in their premises.

What internal water supply is and what it consists of

Internal plumbing is a system of mechanisms that delivers water to sanitary equipment, technological equipment and fire hydrants inside a building. In simple terms, it is everything that carries water from the building’s inlet to a specific tap in the office.

A standard system consists of the following elements:

• inlet (one or several) — the connection point to the external network;
• metering units — for measuring water consumption;
• pipe network — mains, distribution pipes and connections to fixtures;
• fittings — taps, valves, gate valves.

If needed, the system also includes local pressure-boosting installations (when the external network’s pressure is insufficient) and backup tanks for preparing hot water — water heaters. Exactly which set your office needs is determined at the engineering design stage.

Cold and hot water supply: types by purpose

Internal plumbing is divided first of all into cold (В) and hot (Т). In domestic documentation, schemes and drawings mark cold pipes with the letter “В” and hot ones with “Т”, and each has its own varieties.

For cold water there are:

• В1 — domestic-drinking supply: for drinking, washing, cooking and other household needs. The water must comply with DSanPiN 2.2.4-171-10 (“Hygienic requirements for drinking water intended for human consumption”).
• В2 — fire-fighting supply: for extinguishing fire or preventing its spread. The water may be of non-potable quality — the main requirement is a constant water presence in the system and sufficient pressure.
• В3 — industrial supply: for technological needs; it may consist of several systems with water of different quality, pressure and volume.

In most offices the basis is the domestic-drinking supply (В1), with fire-fighting (В2) added where standards require it. A modern hot water supply must have two pipes in the building: Т3 — the supply pipe (from which water is drawn) and Т4 — the circulation pipe (for constant circulation of hot water so its temperature doesn’t drop below the allowed level). Note the distinction: designations Т1-Т2 refer to heating systems and are not part of the water supply. Depending on the regime and volume of consumption, hot water systems can be local or central.

Water temperature: standards worth considering

Temperature standards are not a formality but a matter of comfort and safety. Here are the key benchmarks:

• Cold water at draw-off points — at least 5°C.
• Hot water — within 50-70°C, but not above 75°C, to avoid scalding.
• In individual water heaters (boilers) the optimal temperature is 55-60°C.

This boiler range is not accidental. Above 60°C the heating element starts to scale up with limescale, while below 55°C bacteria — legionella in particular — multiply intensively in stagnant water: the water begins to smell unpleasant and can be dangerous for certain groups of people. As prevention, it is advised to briefly heat the boiler water to 70-80°C — at that temperature the whole colony dies almost instantly (for comparison, at 60°C only 90% of the colony dies within 30 minutes).

Types of water routing in an office

Water routing — the configuration of the pipe network — is chosen according to the consumption regime, the building’s purpose and fire-safety requirements. There are four main types:

• Dead-end networks are used where an interruption in the water supply is acceptable if part or all of the network fails — residential, public and sometimes industrial buildings.
• Ring (looped) networks are needed where reliable, uninterrupted supply matters: high-rises, buildings with a fire-fighting supply, industrial premises. They connect to the external network through several inlets, so if one is disconnected the supply doesn’t stop.
• Combined networks blend ring and dead-end mains — used on large lines with a wide spread of draw-off points.
• Zoned networks are several separate, unconnected networks within one building; each zone can have its own inlet and pressure-boosting unit. High-rises use a multi-zone scheme.

There are also important pressure limits. At the lowest point of each zone the hydrostatic head must not exceed 60 m, and in fire-fighting supplies — 90 m. The maximum working pressure of a domestic-drinking supply network must not exceed 0.6 MPa.

Design and installation of water supply during an office renovation

Water supply is exactly the kind of system laid at an early, rough stage of a renovation, before finishing, since the pipes are mostly hidden in walls, floors and ceilings. What to consider:

• Planning draw-off points. The kitchen, restrooms, coffee areas and cleaning points — their placement defines the whole routing scheme.
• Sufficient pressure. If the external network’s pressure is lacking, pressure-boosting units are provided for at the design stage.
• Hot water. Choose between local boilers and a central supply, and build in circulation (Т4) so the water stays hot at every point.
• Materials and access to utilities. Quality pipes and fittings, plus well-planned access to units, make future maintenance easier.

All of this is designed together with the other engineering systems — electrics, ventilation, sewerage. That is why water supply installation is best carried out as part of a single complex of works rather than separately. You can see examples of completed spaces in our office spaces portfolio.

Why water supply installation is best left to professionals

A mistake in calculating pipe diameters, pressure or the routing scheme can be costly: from weak pressure at upper points to emergency leaks behind the finishing. That is why the design and installation of water supply is best entrusted to a team that runs the whole engineering complex and is accountable for the result.

Partner Create delivers the full cycle — from concept and design to the installation of engineering systems within its general contracting services. This approach ensures the water supply is coordinated with electrics, ventilation and finishing, with a single contractor responsible for all the works.

Office water supply in brief

• Office water supply is a basic engineering system: inlet, metering units, pipes and fittings.
• Plumbing splits into cold (В1 drinking, В2 fire-fighting, В3 industrial) and hot (Т3 supply, Т4 circulation).
• Temperature standards: cold from 5°C, hot 50-70°C (not above 75°C), boilers 55-60°C.
• Routing types: dead-end, ring, combined, zoned; network pressure up to 0.6 MPa.
• Water supply is laid rough at an early renovation stage, together with the other systems.
• Design and installation are best entrusted to one contractor running the whole engineering complex.

Frequently Asked Questions

Order water supply design and installation from Partner Create

A reliable office water supply starts with a sound design and quality installation. Partner Create will design and install the engineering networks in coordination with all the other systems — and take responsibility for the result.

Explore our work in the portfolio, read useful materials on the blog, or get in touch to discuss your project. Call +38 050 388 24 49.

Planning a full scope of works? We recommend Construction Works in the Office: Types & Stages and Office Maintenance: What It Includes & Why.