Constant and Intermittent Services.—With an intermittent service of water, during the intervals of supply, water is only obtainable from cisterns, water-butts, etc. The objections against this system are that—(1) The cisterns required are expensive, and liable to get out of order and become foul. (2) Their overflow pipes may improperly communicate with the soil pipe or with some other part of the drainage, instead of opening into the external air. (3) Putrid gases, from neighbouring ventilating-pipes or other parts of the drainage system, are liable to be absorbed by the stagnant water in the cistern. (4) The chief objection to an intermittent supply is that, during the intervals in which the water-mains are empty, foul air and liquids from the contiguous soil and drains are liable to be sucked through imperfect joints into the pipes. (5) In case of fire, the supply of water in the system is insufficient. In certain towns rates of insurance against fire have been reduced on replacing an intermittent by a constant service of water.
On the other hand it is urged that more expensive fittings are required for a constant service; and that, when taps are left open or pipes burst, the waste of water is much greater than with a cistern supply. The balance is decidedly in favour of a constant supply without storage cisterns. Where storage cisterns are in use, the taps for drinking-water should be connected with the “rising-main,” before it supplies the cistern.
The Advantages of the Constant Service may be thus summarised:—
(1) Owing to the absence of cisterns, the risks connected with stagnant water, and with improper arrangement of overflow pipes, are obviated.
(2) The risk of suction into supply mains of external contaminations is reduced to a minimum, since the pipes are never empty.
(3) The pipes are less liable to rust. Air in the presence of a little moisture, causes rapid corrosion.
(4) There is an abundant supply of water in case of fire.
Of course, when there is a temporary stoppage of supply, as for repairs, some of the dangers incurred by an intermittent supply will arise.