[Water quality prevention after typhoon] Is the tap water yellow and turbid after the typhoon? Installation method and estimate of "whole-house pre-filter" and "water tower automatic sand and sewage valve" in Taipei Building

Water quality damage after the typhoon: turbidity explosion and sedimentation in water pipes

Whenever a strong typhoon or disastrous heavy rain sweeps across the Taipei mountainous area, severe hillside collapses and landslides often occur in the upstream water source areas of the Zhitan Water Purification Plant and the Bunding Water Purification Plant (such as the Xindian Creek and Dahan Creek basins). Although water plants will initiate contingency water purification measures, within a few days after a typhoon, the turbidity (NTU) of the tap water delivered to residential buildings in Greater Taipei is often still high, making the water yellow and turbid. This yellow turbid water, carrying a large amount of fine sediment, rust and suspended solids, will gradually settle after entering the underground reservoir and the water tower on the top floor of the building, forming a thick mud layer at the bottom of the tower. When the water pumping motor is started again, the sediment will be sent into each household's water heater, high-end thermostatic faucet valve core, drum washing machine and water purifier, causing pipeline blockage and hot and cold water valve core wear and damage. This will cause great damage to the daily maintenance of the building's mechanical and electrical systems, and it is also a pain point in people's livelihood that must be solved to preserve the value of renovated properties.

The first sentinel of the waterway: Installing a whole-household pre-filter (Spin-down Sediment Filter)

In order to prevent turbid sediment from driving straight into the contaminating reservoir and water tower, modern hydropower projects will install a set of "household pre-filter" or Big Blue three-tube pre-filtration system on the main water inlet line behind the water meter. This kind of filter is usually equipped with a 40 to 90 micron stainless steel dense mesh filter element or a high-capacity PP pleated filter element, which is specially designed to intercept sediment, iron filings and large suspended solids. The filter is equipped with a transparent housing for easy observation of dirt deposition. Plumbers pointed out that by purchasing a pre-filter with a "manual/automatic backwash" function, you only need to open the flush valve after a typhoon and use the water pressure of the pipe network for reverse flushing to discharge the sediment on the filter out of the sewage pipe. There is no need to frequently disassemble the filter element, which is an excellent preventive water and electricity upgrade solution.

Secret tips for manual cleaning of water towers: Install a bottom-deployed automatic sand discharge and sewage valve

The bottom of a stainless steel water tower is usually designed in a slightly arched or sloped shape, with a sewage outlet in the center or at the lowest point. To clean the water tower in a traditional building, you need to ask professional cleaners to clean the water tower, which is time-consuming and labor-intensive, and the water outage affects daily life. An efficient construction method shared by water and electricity experts is to install an "automatic sand discharge and sewage valve" controlled by a timer or solenoid valve in the sewage pipe at the bottom of the water tower. The scheduled sewage valve can be set to automatically open for 5 to 10 seconds every week or every day after a typhoon. It uses the strong gravity water pressure of several tons of water inside the water tower to instantly discharge the sediment and rust residue deposited at the lowest point at the bottom of the tower. This unmanned automatic sand discharge configuration can keep the inside of the water tower clean for a long time. It is an exquisite electromechanical design for high-property properties and commercial asset managers to reduce daily property management labor costs (OPEX).

Plumbing construction and Shuangbei quotation market: CapEx budget planning

In Taipei and New Taipei, the budget for installing a set of standard 304 stainless steel whole-house pre-filter (including backwash system) for the plumbing materials and basic installation wages is approximately NT$12,000 to NT$22,000 It depends on the pipe diameter specification and the difficulty of on-site piping; if an imported automatic timed sand discharge solenoid valve system is installed, the cost will increase by about 6,000 yuan to 10,000 yuan. For real estate investors and renovators, water quality improvement during typhoon season is a key selling point related to the property’s “quality of life” and “maintenance-free nature.” Completing the configuration of the front water system before handing over or leasing the house can effectively avoid damage to expensive kitchen and bathroom equipment, improve tenant satisfaction and rent premium space.

The Ministry of Economic Affairs' latest "Regulations on Consumer Electrical Equipment Installation" and the key points of electricity safety in old houses

Due to the popularity of high-power household appliances (such as air fryers, microwave ovens, dishwashers, instantaneous electric water heaters, and IH furnaces) in recent years, the Energy Administration of the Ministry of Economic Affairs has revised the "Regulations on Consumer Electrical Equipment Installation" many times to strictly require the diversion and protection mechanisms of residential electricity circuits. Statistics show that more than 30% of building fires in Taiwan are caused by electrical factors, among which "old wire insulation deteriorates and short circuits", "socket contacts are oxidized and loose, poor contact" and "non-fuse switch (NFB) overloaded and failed to trip" are the three main fatal causes.

Old apartments in Shuangbei that are more than 30 years old have a total original designed power capacity of only 30A to 40A, and several rooms often share the same 1.6mm or 2.0mm circuit. In the modern standard safety configuration, kitchen electrical cabinets, bathroom equipment, and air-conditioning and heating machines must all be equipped with 5.5mm² dedicated circuits (single circuit and single socket). It is recommended that the main switch box be upgraded to a busbar (Busbar) integrated distribution board, and the total amperage is increased to 75A or 100A (a qualified electrical appliance contractor needs to be entrusted to Taipower to review the additional power capacity).

Residential electricity self-test and regular inspection checklist

• Appearance and temperature of the socket: Touch the outer cover of the commonly used socket lightly with the back of your hand. If it feels lukewarm or if you find that the plastic socket is yellowed and charred, or the plug is loose and shaking after being plugged in, it means that the internal copper plate clamping force is exhausted or the contact resistance is too high, and you should immediately cut off the power and replace it.
• Regular testing of leakage circuit breakers (ELCB): For leakage circuit breakers in humid places such as balconies, bathrooms, and kitchen sinks, regulations require that the "TEST button" on the switch be pressed once every 1 to 3 months to confirm that it can automatically trip and cut off the power supply instantly.
• Serial connection and overloading of extension cords are strictly prohibited: Extension cords should be purchased with 2.0mm thick wire diameter products that have CNS certification and automatic overload power-off protection. Do not share the same extension cord with high energy-consuming appliances to ensure zero hidden danger to life and property at home.