FEASIBILITY STUDY TO RESOLVE THE LOW WATER PRESSURE PROBLEM FOR TOPMOST TWO STOREYS OF HDB APARTMENT BLOCK

Abstract

This is an industrial project in collaboration with the Toa Payoh Town Council. The objective of this project is to carry out a feasibility study to resolve the low water pressure/flow rate problem for the two topmost storeys of HDB apartment block. The various possible methods for solving the problem were first studied and evaluated, from which the water distribution network improvement and the booster pump system were found to be the better choices. A survey was then conducted for one block to obtain the actual water flow rate data for the affected flats, and a flow rate analysis was carried out. Increasing the pipe diameter and the use of smoother pipe material were found to have a significant effect on the flow rates. Hence it is proposed to replace the existing 20mm and 12 mm diameter pipes with 25mm and 20mm diameter respectively The proposed system would achieve almost the same flow rate as that provided by the present booster pump system. For a seven years operation, the proposed system will cost $3000 less than the booster pump system. It is therefore recommended that the Toa Payoh Town Council implements the proposed system at one of the blocks to study the actual flow rate variation at the outlets.