3.1.

Principles of Plumbing
Plumbing is the art and technique of installing pipes, fixtures, and other apparatuses in buildings
from bringing in the supply, liquids, substances, and/or ingredients and removing them; and such
water, liquid, and other carried-wastes hazardous to health, sanitation, life, property, also the pipes
and fixtures after installation i.e. the plumbing system. The professional practice of plumbing in the
Philippines is governed and enacted by the Republic Act 1378, which is also called as
the Plumbing Law. The law mandates the implementation of the National Plumbing Code of the
Philippines way back before in its origin as the Plumbing Law of the Philippines based on the
History of Plumbing Practice in the current Revised National Plumbing Code of the Philippines.
The code provides the basic principles of plumbing which stands as the core foundations of the
code itself which dates back from the first release of the code in the form of the Plumbing Law of
the Philippines.
 

Principle 1
All premises intended for human habitation, occupancy or use shall be provided with a supply
of pure and wholesome water, neither connected with unsafe water supplies nor subject to
hazards of backflow or back-siphonage
 

Principle 2
Plumbing fixtures, devices and appurtenances shall be supplied with water in sufficient volume
and pressure adequate to function satisfactorily and without undue noise
 

Principle 3
Plumbing shall be designed and adjusted to use the minimum quantity of water consistent
with proper performance and cleaning
 

Principle 4
Devices for heating and storing water shall be so designed and installed as to prevent  dangers
from explosion through overheating
 

Principle 5
Every building abutting on a street, alley or easement with a public sewer shall connect its
plumbing fixtures to the sewer system
 

Principle 6
Each family dwelling unit shall have at least one water closet, one kitchen type sink, a lavatory and
a bathtub or shower to meet the basic requirements of sanitation and personal hygiene
 

Principle 7
Plumbing fixtures shall be made of smooth non-absorbent material, free from concealed fouling
surfaces  and shall be located in ventilated enclosures
 

Principle 8
The drainage system shall be designed, constructed and maintained to safeguard against
fouling, deposit of solids, clogging and with adequate cleanouts  so arranged that the pipes may
be readily cleaned
 

Principle 9
All piping shall be of durable NAMPAP-APPROVED materials, free from defective workmanship,
designed and constructed by Registered Master Plumbers to ensure satisfactory service
 

Principle 10
Each fixture directly connected to the drainage system shall be equipped with a water-sealed trap
 

Principle 11
The drainage pipes piping system shall be designed to provide adequate circulation of air  free
from siphonage, aspiration or forcing of trap seals under ordinary use
 

Principle 12
Vent terminals  shall extend to the outer air  and installed to prevent clogging and the return of
foul air to the building
 

Principle 13
Plumbing systems shall be subjected to such tests  to effectively disclose all leaks and
defects in the workmanship
 

Principle 14
Substance which will clog the pipes, produce explosive mixtures, destroy the pipes or their joints or
interfere unduly with the sewage-disposal process shall not be allowed to enter the building
drainage system
 

Principle 15
Proper protection  shall be provided to prevent contamination of food, water, sterile goods and
similar materials by backflow of sewage. When necessary, the fixture, device or appliance shall be
connected indirectly with the building drainage system
 

Principle 16
No water closet shall be located in a room or compartment which is not properly lighted and
ventilated
 

Principle 17
If there is no sewer system in the area, suitable provision shall be made for the disposal of
building sewage  by some accepted method of sewage treatment and disposal, such as a
septic tank
 

Principle 18
Where a plumbing drainage system may be subject to backflow of sewage, suitable provision
shall be made to prevent its overflow  in the building
 

Principle 19
Plumbing systems shall be maintained in serviceable condition by Registered Master Plumbers
 

Principle 20
All plumbing fixtures shall be installed properly spaced, to be accessible for their intended use
 

Principle 21
Plumbing shall be installed with due regard to the preservation of the strength of structural
members and the prevention of damage to walls and other surfaces through fixture usage
 

Principle 22
Sewage or other waste from plumbing system  which may be deleterious to surface or sub-
surface waters shall not be discharged into the ground or into any waterway, unless first
rendered innocuous through subjection to some acceptable form of treatment
 

Plumbing Cycle
Only a small percentage of the total volume of water in the world is used for human consumption.
Most of these volumes are either stored in ice caps, glaciers, or in the oceans. Water, for it to be
continuously sourced from, undergoes a cycle which describes its phases from its sources i.e.
reservoirs, lakes, rivers, up to its end-users like me and you, until it goes back again to its sources,
and vice versa. It is a cycle of continuous effort to maintain and secure an optimum supply of water
for its users.
Let's start from the sources of water like lakes, rivers, reservoirs and dams. From there, water
shall be released in bulk volumes and shall be distributed through large main distribution pipes by
Manila Water or Maynilad bringing the supply of water to various communities. In the residential
setting, these large main distribution pipes are sometimes laid underneath the main roads across
the main entrance of various villages, subdivisions, and small communities. The portion of these
main water distribution pipes serves as the main water supply for various villages, subdivisions,
and small communities, and even for various industrial and  commercial users. Some subdivisions
have their own local water tank which provides water for their community.
Water is distributed to its users through network of underground pipes connecting the main
distribution pipes to the pipes connected inside each household. Upon reaching a household,
the water can now be used from various plumbing fixtures connected by pipes inside their house.
The end-product of all used water in all forms of processes, or waste waters, are
now discharged and collected by a different set of plumbing fixtures connected by waste water
pipes inside the building towards a sewage disposal system. These waste waters are
then disposed through sanitary sewer lines and storm water sewer lines  for those storm
water runoffs. These waste waters are treated in sewage treatment  plants or STP to remove
harmful components that contaminates the water. After the thorough process of treatment, the
treated waters are then discharged in natural bodies of water like lakes and rivers, or in
reservoirs and dams, to undergo its natural process of treatment. Then the cycle goes full
circle by starting on these sources of water. 

The diagram shown above illustrates an idea on how vastly large the coverage of plumbing and
sanitary from its sources up to the point of disposal. A single source of water i.e. reservoirs and
dams, up to a single point of disposal i.e. sewage treatment plants. As the water supply is
distributed through its various main distribution pipes, the network of pipes connected to deliver
water to its intended end users increases; its coverage becomes very wide. Until such time that
these water have been used, each household would produce their waste water. Imagine the
amount of waste water we produce each day? Now, these waste waters are collected by
various sewer pipes which are, of course, of very wide coverage. These sewer lines drop off their
collected waste waters in various endpoints, one of which is the sewage treatment plant. This
diagram further depicts the general function of each key element in the previously discussed
plumbing cycle.