Installation of sewage pipes
Thread Content
Recently, when our company was designing a new factory building, the design firm said that companies in the south have already installed sewage pipes above ground level and it is no longer allowed to bury them. I wonder if this will become the standard in the future?
It is not very suitable, in my opinion, to have sewage pipes elevated. First, there is the issue of energy consumption. To elevate the sewage pipes, lift pumps are required, which consume electricity; this indirectly increases capital costs and raises the construction expenses ； Second, there is a need for dedicated personnel to handle daily management and maintenance, which leads to unnecessary waste of resources. Third, it is unsightly; the pipelines that could have been buried underground are now exposed above ground, and the intricate network of pipes spoils the aesthetic appearance. Fourth, it is not scientific – sewage may contain sediment, oils, and waste gases. If the pipes are placed above ground, simple and effective facilities such as sand traps and oil separators become useless, requiring additional equipment to deal with sediment, oils, and waste gases. Therefore, considering both costs and management aspects, I believe changing the current underground sewage pipelines to above-ground ones is not the best option
Owners sometimes prefer not to bury them for the sake of ease of maintenance.