WATER SYSTEM HYGIENE AND SAFETY


Delabie says direct flush systems offer ‘a hygienic alternative to cistern-flush WCs, reducing the risk of infection in mental healthcare facilities’. It added: “Designed for intensive use in public environments, they provide a sustainable solution that manages water consumption, and are easy to install and maintain.”


Challenging perceptions Contrary to popular belief, direct flush toilets can replace cistern-flush toilets in refurbishment projects. If the header pipe is close to the installation, only the branch pipe run needs to be changed in the majority of cases. Although the methodology for calculating pipe sizes for cistern-flush is different to that for direct flush, the pipework sizing is similar, due to the principle of calculating simultaneous use.


A direct flush valve activates for seven


seconds, whereas cistern refill is between 40 and 60 seconds. Although the effect on demand is cumulative, the shorter duration of the direct flush means that in effect fewer valves will be operating simultaneously. For example, based on a dynamic flow rate of 1.5 litres/second, Delabie estimates that for a block of 20 direct flush toilets, three out of 20 will be activated simultaneously.


Installation issues Another misconception is that direct flush mechanisms are difficult to install and ongoing maintenance is difficult, especially for recessed applications. Delabie has patented an innovative waterproof housing that can be installed on IPS panels or solid walls of up to 120 millimetres. No separate access hatch is required, simplifying the design process for the initial architect. Unlike conventional housings which are cut flush to the wall, this housing features a collar with an integrated seal, which provides a watertight seal against the wall finish. The housing can


40


Delabie’s direct flush versus a cistern-fed toilet.


be cut to size in front of the collar, and any leaks or condensation evacuate in front of, and not behind or into, the wall. The collar also provides support for the wall actuator plate, which conceals the whole mechanism, and has an integrated electronic unit for sensor models. Electronic models provide touch-free


activation, once again minimising the potential spread of bacteria. To reduce stagnation, a duty-flush function is recommended to purge the pipework during periods of inactivity. The Tempoflux 3 is supplied in two kits which simplify installation. A preassembled first fix kit means that the housing can be installed and water connections made, the system purged, and the wall finish completed, during the first fix. The second kit includes the actual flushing mechanism, which is replaced by a temporary casing during commissioning. Once the system has been purged and the wall finish completed, the flush valve can be installed during the second fix. Maintenance is simple and quick, as the


Facilities team needs only to remove the wall-mounted control plate to gain access to the entire mechanism, which is fully contained within the housing. A backflow prevention device is also incorporated within the housing and, in the event of backflow, any water will evacuate in front of the wall. A care home in Douai, Northern France,


decided to make the switch in 2020. Staff there said: “We chose to switch to a cisternless flush system because year after year our water consumption


kept increasing, and we were unable to meet our budgets. We couldn’t reduce consumption despite our maintenance approach. Every day a technician spent two hours looking for leaks and repairing them when necessary, and yet the problem persisted. “Following the installation of the


cisternless flush system, we went from using more than 3,500 cubic meters per year to less than 500, reducing our water consumption seven-fold. “We replaced 150 frame systems


with cisterns with 150 frame systems without cisterns. It was a big project, but wasn’t difficult. We connected the flush mechanism to the existing riser pipe and it worked well. We didn’t have any major plumbing work to do. “There was an initial investment to


purchase the equipment and install it, but the water savings alone paid back the initial investment within months, and that’s without taking into account the maintenance costs. Labour is expensive, and since we spend less time on it now, there is also a saving here too.”


Conclusion Direct flush systems offer a hygienic alternative to cistern-flush WCs, reducing the risk of infection in mental healthcare facilities. Designed for intensive use in public environments, they provide a sustainable solution that manages water consumption, adapting to the usage demands of healthcare facilities, and they are easy to install and maintain. Conventional WCs with cisterns are


NOVEMBER 2024 | THE NETWORK


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