Water is a resource that’s frequently taken for granted. And the pipes that supply it? Even more so. Yet, commercial plumbing plays a critical role in ensuring safe drinking water for your building’s occupants.

As a facility manager or business owner, you’re accountable not just for revenue but also the well-being of employees and customers. Ignoring plumbing maintenance can lead to waterborne diseases and steep fines for breaching plumbing regulations.

When was the last time you conducted water quality testing? Is your backflow prevention up to par? This article will navigate you through the complexities of commercial plumbing systems, offering expert insights to enhance your facility services and protect public health.

Understanding Commercial Plumbing Systems

Commercial plumbing is far more intricate than its residential counterpart. In a commercial setting, the plumbing system has to serve not just one family but potentially hundreds or thousands of people over a larger square footage.

This complexity is heightened by the various types of fixtures, from sinks and toilets to commercial kitchens and even industrial equipment. That means commercial plumbing systems must be designed and maintained to meet higher demands for water flow, pressure, and durability.

Residential vs. Commercial Plumbing: What’s the Difference?

While residential plumbing is designed for simplicity and ease of use, commercial plumbing systems serve a broader range of needs.

For instance, in a shopping mall, the plumbing infrastructure must accommodate not only restrooms but also numerous retail stores, restaurants, and even sprinkler systems for fire safety. This means a maze of pipes and connections running throughout the building, all interconnected to ensure the efficient flow of water to various points of use.

Commercial kitchens in restaurants or cafeterias have specialized plumbing needs, including high-capacity sinks, grease traps, and commercial dishwashers. This requires sturdy plumbing systems capable of continuous heavy use.

In industrial settings, the demands on plumbing are even more substantial. Manufacturing plants may use substantial volumes of water for cooling processes, chemical reactions, or cleaning industrial equipment. The plumbing infrastructure needs to adhere to stringent safety standards and often involves intricate systems of pipes, pumps, and filtration systems.

Commercial buildings often require backflow prevention assemblies, as well, and are crucial for preventing the reverse flow of contaminated water into the public water system.

These assemblies require annual inspections by certified testers, adding another layer of plumbing regulations that commercial establishments must follow.

The complexity of commercial plumbing arises not only from the scale but also from the diversity of applications it serves.

Key Plumbing Components for Safe Drinking Water

Commercial buildings often have a variety of plumbing systems designed specifically for the safe and efficient distribution of water. Here are some of the most common components that are particularly relevant to maintaining safe drinking water:

Water Supply System

This is the backbone of any commercial plumbing setup, responsible for delivering fresh water to all parts of the building. It includes a network of pipes, pumps, and sometimes a water treatment to maintain water quality.

Filtration Systems

Many commercial buildings opt for advanced water filtration systems to remove impurities and ensure that the water meets or exceeds local quality standards.

Water Heaters

In commercial settings, water heaters must be especially robust and efficient. They not only supply hot water for sanitary purposes but also play a role in various industrial applications.

Backflow Preventers

As mentioned earlier, these are essential for preventing contaminated water from flowing back into the clean water supply. They are often mandated by plumbing regulations and require annual inspections.

Drainage Systems

While not directly related to drinking water, a well-maintained drainage system is crucial for overall hygiene, which indirectly affects water quality. Poor drainage can lead to water stagnation and bacterial growth.

The Role of Commercial Plumbing Experts

How confident are you in your current plumbing maintenance practices? Are you routinely changing water filters and cleaning faucet aerators to prevent bacterial growth? Are you certain the pipes behind your walls are free from corrosion that can contaminate your water? Is your backflow prevention device working as it should?

Absolute confidence in your plumbing system is crucial for both water quality and regulatory compliance. And achieving that level of confidence often requires the expertise of commercial plumbing professionals.

The Importance of Regular Facility Maintenance

In recent years, we’ve seen a concerning uptick in diseases linked to drinking water. Between 2013 and 2014 alone, 42 outbreaks were reported across 19 states, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). And nearly 10,000 cases of Legionnaires’ disease were documented in 2018.

More than half of these cases were caused by Legionella bacteria, identified by the World Health Organization (WHO) as the most harmful waterborne pathogen in developed countries. While factors like aging infrastructure contribute, the rise in waterborne diseases isn’t solely due to old or deteriorating pipes.

The Cost of Neglect

What happens when plumbing maintenance takes a backseat in your commercial facility? Beyond the usual inconveniences like clogged drains or low water pressure, you’re opening the door to far more serious issues.

Water stagnates in rarely-used sections of your plumbing system, creating a breeding ground for harmful bacteria. Before you know it, your bustling office building or vibrant retail space grapples with a Legionella outbreak.

Not only is this a public health nightmare, but it could also lead to severe financial repercussions, including legal liabilities and a tarnished reputation.

The Necessity of Routine Plumbing Maintenance

Regular facility maintenance isn’t just a box to tick off each year or for getting a leaky faucet taken care of; it’s about comprehensive water quality testing, backflow prevention, and adherence to plumbing regulations, all of which help you:

• Catch potential issues before they escalate.
• Ensure contaminated water doesn’t enter your clean water supply.
• Identify and address potential weak points in your plumbing systems.

If it’s been a while since a plumbing professional has assessed the health of your facility’s system, now might be the perfect time to reevaluate your approach to plumbing maintenance.

Water Quality Testing and Treatment

What does water quality testing in a commercial setting entail? It’s more than just a quick dip of a test strip. It involves a series of tests to detect various contaminants, from heavy metals such as lead, to microbial threats such as E. coli.

Potential Contaminants Affecting Water Quality

The list of potential water contaminants is long and varied:

• Heavy Metals: Such as lead and arsenic.
• Chemical Compounds: Including chlorine and pesticides.
• Microbial Contaminants: Bacteria like Legionella and E. coli.
• Emerging Contaminants: Such as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), recently targeted by the EPA for stricter regulations.

Regulatory Guidelines and Laws

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), there are legal limits set on over 90 contaminants in drinking water. The Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) allows states to enforce their own drinking water standards, as long as they are as stringent as the EPA’s national standards. This means you’re not just meeting federal guidelines but potentially state-specific ones as well.

Commercial water quality testing will typically include:

• Chemical Testing: For elements like lead and arsenic.
• Microbial Testing: To identify harmful bacteria or parasites.
• pH Level Checks: To ensure the water is neither too acidic nor too alkaline.

Water Contaminants in Tennessee: A Case Study

If you oversee a facility in Tennessee, you might find these statistics particularly alarming. According to data from the Environmental Working Group (EWG), various contaminants were found in Tennessee’s water supply from 2014 to 2019, some even exceeding health guidelines.

Contaminants Found Above Health Guidelines in Tennessee:

• Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs): Found in 437 utilities, serving 7,135,210 people.
• Haloacetic Acids (HAA5): Found in 426 utilities, serving 7,059,129 people.
• Bromodichloromethane: Found in 319 utilities, serving 5,797,502 people.
• Chloroform: Found in 321 utilities, serving 5,643,227 people.
• Nitrate: Found in 347 utilities, serving 5,599,430 people.

Contaminants Found Above Legal Limits:

• Haloacetic Acids (HAA5): Found in 1 utility, serving 5,306 people.
• Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs): Found in 1 utility, serving 5,306 people.

In total, utilities serving over 7 million Tennessee residents have been reported for contaminants in their water supply. That’s a staggering number.

These statistics underscore the critical role of regular water quality testing and plumbing maintenance to consistently provide safe drinking water. If you’re a facility manager or business owner in Tennessee, these numbers should serve as a wake-up call.

Compliance with Regulations and Standards:

Navigating all the different business and building regulations can feel overwhelming when you’re dealing with the day-to-day. But when it comes to commercial plumbing and safe drinking water, cutting corners isn’t an option.

So, what legal obligations do you need to be aware of as a facility manager or business owner in Tennessee, Kentucky, Alabama, or Georgia?

Federal Regulations

At the federal level, the SDWA sets the stage. It establishes the legal framework for protecting public drinking water supplies across the United States.

Enacted in 1974 and amended several times since, here’s a closer look at what it involves:

• Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs): The EPA sets legal limits on the levels of specific contaminants allowed in drinking water. These limits are based on both the potential health effects and the feasibility of treatment.
• Public Water System Supervision (PWSS): States can seek “primacy,” or the authority to implement the SDWA within their jurisdictions. To gain primacy, states must set regulations that are at least as stringent as federal standards.
• Consumer Confidence Reports (CCRs): Public water systems are required to provide consumers with annual reports detailing the quality of their drinking water, including detected contaminants and potential health effects.
• Enforcement: Failure to meet SDWA standards can result in a range of penalties, from fines to criminal charges. The EPA and state agencies share enforcement responsibilities.
• Operator Certification: The SDWA mandates that all operators of water systems be certified to ensure they are technically competent to operate and maintain the system.

But remember, each state can enforce its own standards, provided they are at least as stringent as the federal ones.

State-Specific Regulations

Every state has different rules and regulations. Here in our part of the country, these are the basics that business owners and facility managers should be aware of:

• Tennessee: The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation oversees water quality and requires annual water quality testing.
• Kentucky: The Division of Water manages the Safe Drinking Water program, which includes backflow prevention measures.
• Alabama: The Alabama Department of Environmental Management mandates regular inspections and water quality tests.
• Georgia: The Georgia Environmental Protection Division also requires annual water quality testing and backflow prevention.

Legal Obligations for Commercial Property Owners

As a commercial property owner or manager, you’re not just responsible for plumbing maintenance; you’re legally obligated to provide clean, safe drinking water. Failure to comply can result in hefty fines, legal liabilities, and even business closure.

But understanding and adhering to local, state, and federal plumbing regulations is not just a legal necessity but a moral obligation to your employees and customers.

Commercial plumbing professionals can guide you through water quality testing, backflow prevention, and other plumbing system intricacies to keep your business in full compliance.

Best Practices for Water Safety

Knowing the rules is important, but it’s just the first step. To make sure your water is safe, there are several best practices that facility managers and business owners should follow:

Upgrading Outdated Infrastructure

• Why it matters: Old pipes can be a breeding ground for bacteria and may leach harmful substances into the water.
• Action Step: Consult with commercial plumbing experts to assess the age and condition of your plumbing systems. Prioritize upgrades that directly impact water quality.

Regular Inspections

• Why it matters: Regular inspections can catch common commercial plumbing issues before they escalate into a full-blown crisis.
• Action Step: Beyond the mandatory annual inspections for backflow prevention, consider quarterly plumbing maintenance checks for your business. These can include scrutinizing pipe joints, checking water pressure, and even thermal imaging to spot hidden leaks.

Backflow Prevention

• Why it matters: Backflow can contaminate your clean water supply, posing a serious health risk.
• Action Step: Make sure that backflow preventers are not just installed but also routinely tested by certified professionals.

Quick Response to Emergencies

• Why it matters: A swift response can mitigate the impact of plumbing problems.
• Action Step: Have a 24/7 emergency response plan in place, complete with a list of plumbing experts to call.

Educating Employees and Occupants

• Why it matters: The more people know about the importance of plumbing maintenance, the more vigilant they’ll be in spotting issues.
• Action Step: Educate employees or building occupants on the importance of water quality, how to be aware of problems, and what to do in case of plumbing emergencies.

Preventive Measures

• Why it matters: Prevention is always better than cure, especially when it comes to something as vital as safe drinking water.
• Action Step: Implement a preventive maintenance schedule that aligns with both state and federal plumbing regulations.

You’ve got enough on your plate — let Lee Company help you manage it! Specializing in commercial plumbing services, we operate around the clock in Tennessee, Kentucky, Alabama, and Georgia to keep your facility compliant and your water safe.

Schedule a consultation with us and see why we’ve been the choice for commercial properties since 1944.