The First Facility Management Blog

Water quality – both from a health and safety standpoint, as well as a taste and smell perspective – should be a primary concern whether you’re installing hot and cold water distribution piping into a consumer’s home or a commercial food or beverage processing plant. The boom in the bottled water industry is proof that consumers are sensitive to noticeable tastes and odors in the water they drink, and they’re willing to go to extra efforts and even pay more for more aesthetically-pleasing water.

The Civil and Environmental Engineering Department of Virginia Tech recently conducted a sensory impact study on various piping materials in regard to the possible leaching of polymer additives, organic compounds and oxidation of the surface of the pipe during extrusion – all of which can affect the taste and smell of the water.

This study leaves no doubt that CPVC is the preferred choice from a taste and smell viewpoint, as well the absorption of disinfectants used in the water treatment process. Whether you’re a contractor working in new construction or remodeling, or the engineer or specifier for a major commercial or industrial project, it’s important to understand water quality changes imparted by pipe materials in order to make smart decisions relative to the products you use.

There are many considerations when choosing a piping material – cost, reliability, safety, long-term maintenance requirements, to name just a few. In recent years, polymer pipes have gained market share particularly in residential but also in commercial applications because of their superior performance in all of these areas.

One questionable area regarding the use of polymer materials, however, has been the possible introduction of perceptible tastes and odors that either occur during the extrusion process or during the pipe’s interaction with various water treatment disinfectants. The study confirmed that not all plastics produce the same results with regard to the possible leaching of polymer additives, organic compounds and oxidation of the surface of the pipe during extrusion.

Specifically, CPVC performed consistently higher when compared to copper, high-density polyethylene (HDPE), epoxy lining and the PEX piping selected for the study. In fact according to the report: “Results indicate that copper pipe consumed nearly all the residual disinfectants… results for the polymer materials indicated that CPVC imparted the fewest organic compounds to the water, consumed the least amount of disinfectants, and produced no noticeable odors. All other polymer materials imparted distinct odors and organic chemicals to water and consumed residual disinfectant.”

The Virginia Tech study is not the first to examine the sensory impacts from polymer pipes interacting with drinking water oxidants. What makes the study unique, however, was that both chemical and consumer-assessed sensory characteristics of water in contact with the materials were compared. A trained human panel used Flavor Profile Analysis to assess odors. A chemical process commonly referred to as SPME-GC-MS (or more formally known as solid phase microextraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry), which utilizes various fiber elements to extract compounds in the water, was used to detect and identify organic components. And total organic carbon was determined using an automated Sievers 800 Portable TOC Analyzer.

The study further took into account recent changes in water treatment in the U.S., including the increased use of monochloramines to disinfect water instead of chlorine. Both chlorine and monochloramine levels were determined using the DPD (diethyl-p-phenylenediamine) method, which is a popular testing technique used to monitor water quality in both pools and spas across the globe. Through this test, a tablet interacts with the water to turn it a shade of pink, depending on the intensity of the chlorine concentration in the water.

The test was designed to accomplish two objectives: (1) to investigate the sensory properties of water with either chlorine or chloramines when it came into contact with different piping materials; (2) to investigate changes in residual disinfectant and leaching of organic chemicals from pipe when in contact with drinking water.

All testing was conducted under “typical” drinking water quality conditions. The Utility Quick Test, a standard leaching protocol for new materials, was conducted at room temperature using a low alkalinity water of pH 7.8-8 with no disinfectant, 2 mg/L chlorine, or 4 mg/L monochloramine. This test consisted of three consecutive 72-96 hour leaching/flushing periods and included triplicate testing of all pipe types.

Results comparing the polymer materials indicated that CPVC imparted the fewest organic compounds to the water, consumed the least amount of disinfectants, and produced no noticeable odors. All other polymer materials imparted distinct odors and organic chemicals into the water and were shown to consume residual disinfectant. Of all the materials tested, epoxy lining had the most dramatic effect on water quality, imparting a moderate “plastic-putty-glue” odor, leaching 0.4-0.6 mg/L organic carbon including the compounds bisphenol A, styrene, toluene, nonylphenol and benzaldehyde. It also consumed nearly all the residual chlorine and chloramines.

In contrast, HDPE consumed a low amount of residual disinfectant and released only about 0.1 mg/L organic carbon to the water including phenol, bisphenol-A, tetradecane, cyclohexadiene, cyclohexanone, and cyclopentanone. The overall odor imparted to the water from HDPE had a moderate intensity and was described as “waxy/plastic/citrus.” Panelists described the HDPE odor as “chemical/plastic” in the presence of chlorine and “waxy-crayon/plastic” in water with chloramines. The presence of disinfectants did not appear to alter the intensity of the odors. Despite their overall similarities, various PEX piping products performed differently in the tests, with some pipe producing more odors than others. Water in contact with the best performing PEX product possessed weak to modern intensity odors, leached about 1mg/L organic carbon, and consumed up to 0.5 mg/L free chlorine. Ethyl-t-buyl ether (EtBE) was found to contribute significantly to the characteristic “burning-solvent/plastic” odor of the better performing PEX pipe.

As for copper, the results indicate that it consumed nearly all the residual disinfectant but released few organic compounds or odors.

It is interesting to note that while some materials performed well in certain categories, they under-performed in others. The best-performing PEX pipe, for example, leached the greatest amount of organic carbon, as well as the greatest number of volatile organic compounds, but did not contribute the most intense odors (although it did contribute a variety of odors). HDPE leached only a minor amount of organic carbon (but many specific organics) yet imparted the greatest odor intensity.

Only CPVC performed consistently well across the categories. Not only did it leach the least amount of Total Organic Compounds (TOC) and have the fewest number of compounds identified by SPME-GC-MS, but it also had the least impact on water aesthetics, which meant there was no offensive taste or smell to water flowing through CPVC piping. Not only does this conclusion support the selection of CPVC but it suggests that it is the specific organic chemicals and not the concentration of organic carbon present in the water that determines odor intensity and aesthetic impact. Additionally, there did not appear to be any correlation between the type of disinfectant and amount of organic carbon leached. Both chlorine and monochloramine had minimal effect on the intensity of the odors associated with the polymer.

A report released late last night (8/29/07) which analyzes the events of this year’s shooting rampage at Virginia Tech is highly critical of the slow response from campus security. More specific details can be found here.

In the aftermath of the shooting, many campuses, cities, and other densely populated areas are considering a cell phone alert system that would automatically share breaking news with residents who may be affected by the situation.

Such a system was strongly suggested after the fatal fire at the Deutsche Bank at Ground Zero in NYC. Residents in the area complained about unclear messages and potential dangers that could occur if they stayed in a potentially disastrous area.

If you manage a facility that houses a large population, have you considered an automated emergency notification system?

Sherwood G. Wilson has been named vice president for administrative services at Virginia Tech. His appointment is effective tomorrow, July 10.

In making the announcement, James A. Hyatt, executive vice president and chief operating officer, said, ” Sherwood Wilson has a strong record of leadership and facilities improvement including experience at Virginia Tech and other large universities. His executive experience and style will benefit Virginia Tech as we look to the future.”

Said Wilson, “I’m humbled, yet excited, to return to Virginia Tech after too long of an absence. The experience I gained here enhanced my knowledge and advanced my ability to help other institutions of higher learning. I now look forward to giving back just a small portion of what I learned from this world-class university.”

Wilson will be responsible for providing creative vision, leadership, and management for the university’s facilities operations, which include capital design and construction, physical plant and utilities, transportation services and parking, the university architect, real estate management, human resources, campus police, and environmental health and safety.

Wilson is currently vice chancellor for finance and administrative affairs at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, where he is responsible for many of the same areas he will oversee at Virginia Tech. He brings 30 years of facilities, construction, business, and financial experience in both private and higher education sectors.

Wilson received a bachelor of science in civil engineering technology from Fairmont State College in 1988, a master of science in architecture/building construction from Virginia Tech in 1993, and a doctorate in higher education administration from Ohio University in 2003.

Before earning his degrees, Wilson was director of facilities at Alderson Broaddus College in Philippi, WV, and president and CEO of Tygart Valley Construction & Supply in Belington, WV. He served as project manager for Thor Inc. in Roanoke, VA, in 1988-89, and then worked at Virginia Tech as director of facilities management and later as assistant director of physical plant.

The unprecedented school massacre at Virginia Tech has underscored one terrifying fact; such attacks can never be completely prevented, and college campuses are especially vulnerable. That was the admission by universities of all sizes and types around the country, at which security and disaster experts weighed in only hours after a gunman’s shooting spree left at least 32 dead and at least 15 injured at the Blacksburg, VA, school. While universities certainly have many precautions in place and work consistently with the campus community on preventing crime, there will always an underlying vulnerability as long as this is an open, democratic society.

Imagine at Rutgers University in New Brunswick [the alma mater of two TFMeditorial staff members, Anne Vazquez and Heidi Schwartz], a large suburban campus with more than 34,000 students (50,000 total at the school’s three main locations), and at UCLA, an urban state school with a total of 37,000 students (more than 10,000 of whom are residents of the university). How can you contact this population swiftly, when this group is moving from one location to another both on and off campus? The ideal strategy is to make it as unattractive and inconvenient as possible for violent incidents to take place–thus minimizing the impact.

For example, Rutgers University has 58 sworn officers - all are trained as state police and are fully armed. They patrol campus 24 hours a day, seven days a week via car, bicycle and ATV, as well as on foot. In addition to police, Rutgers has a security department of about 35 officers plus a student component of 110 security-trained students who are “the ears and eyes of the college’s security force.” While there are 203+ people on staff covering a 168 hour work week, this spreads resources rather thinly over a campus the size of a small city.

Though tragedies like that at Virginia Tech can never be completely eradicated, universities should make sure to inform their students and faculty of danger and get them involved whenever possible in the planning of disaster management scenarios.

A Plan
The best emergency action plans are required by a particular emergency standard, the plan must be in writing. The plan must include, as a minimum, the following elements:
1. Emergency escape procedures and emergency escape route assignments;
2. Procedures to be followed by emergency response teams who remain to perform (or shut down) critical city or neighborhood operations before the area is evacuated;
3. Procedures to account for all citizens after emergency evacuation has been completed;
4. Rescue and medical duties for those emergency personnel, who are to perform them;
5. The preferred means for reporting escalating incidents and other emergencies; and
6. Names or regular job titles of persons or departments to be contacted for further information or explanation of duties under the plan.

If emergency management is not interested in sound planned protection and in minimizing property loss, little can be done to promote a safe university, college, neighborhood, or workplace. It is therefore emergency management’s responsibility to see that a program is instituted and that it is frequently reviewed, tested, and updated. The input and support of all people must be obtained to ensure an effective program.The emergency response plan should be developed locally and should be comprehensive enough to deal with all types of emergencies specific to that area. The emergency action plan should address all potential emergencies that can be expected in the area. Therefore, it will be necessary to perform a hazard assessment to determine hazards, and potentially dangerous conditions including toxic materials in local workplaces.

The emergency response teams must list in detail the procedures to be taken by those employees who must remain behind to care for essential area operations until their evacuation becomes absolutely necessary. This may include monitoring area power supplies, water supplies, and other essential services that cannot be shut down for every emergency alarm and use of fire extinguishers. For emergency evacuation, the use of street plans or workplace maps that clearly show the emergency escape routes and safe or refuge areas should be included in the plan. All emergency response teams must be told what actions they are to take in emergency situations that may occur, such as a designated meeting location after evacuation.

This plan must be reviewed with local and state emergency response teams initially when the plan is developed, whenever anyone’s responsibilities under the plan change, and whenever the plan is changed, amended or updated. A copy should be kept where emergency response teams can refer to it at convenient times. In fact, to go a step further, the emergency response team leader could provide the emergency response team with a copy of the plan, particularly all new team members.

Have a plan even if everything is wiped out, no electricity, no communications and no water. Emergency communications equipment such as amateur radio systems, public address systems, or portable radio units should be present for notifying people of the emergency and for contacting local authorities, such as law enforcement officials, private sector charitable groups, and the fire department.

Communications
Though there are limits as to what schools can do to prevent such crimes and heighten security - there are safety measures schools can and do take. Among them—having the ability to broadcast important information to all faculty and guards at academic and dormitory buildings.

Virginia Tech officials and police have already been critized for failing to place the campus on complete lockdown immediately after the first early morning shooting. The second shooting spree, during which the majority of the victims were killed, took place roughly two hours later - many students and faculty were unaware of the first incident and any danger and threats on campus at all.

The university said it believed the first crime was an isolated, domestic case, may not have been related to the second shooting and was under control - even though police and administrators had admitted they did not have the gunman under arrest.

It’s possible that further investigation will reveal Virginia Tech could have done more to alert students of what was going on - and possibly prevent the shooting from being as catastrophic as it was. If it comes to light that the failure to communicate was the primary cause of the second deadly incident, years of litigation may follow.

In terms of communication–for any emergency situations–pre-recorded notifications can be broadcast to give thousands of alert advisories and instructions. Directions to shelters, emergency medical help, or other crucial safety instructions can be relayed in a matter of minutes. With a product called Emergency Management SpitFire AutoDialer (EOSA) from OPC Marketing, alert warnings can be sent to specific campuses, student or faculty groups, police, emergency responders, communities or zip codes in the event of severe weather warnings or other deadly possibilities.

Messages can also be broadcast when responders are seeking volunteers or special assistance from emergency personnel. Alerts can send volunteers to areas where are needed and keep them away from areas that are overstaffed.

One of the biggest uses may be distributing messages after the incident. Where to seek counseling, support, answer questions, and get financial services and more. Many people will want to share their experiences to help put the pieces together after an emergency.

Jackie Craven, resident author from the About: Architecture Web site, has written an interesting and timely article entitled, “Architects Seek Safer Schools.” It begins:

Shootings and teen violence inspire new, safer school design

Responding to tragic school shootings and other acts of violence in schools, architects are seeking ways to make school buildings safer.

Follow the link above to read the entire article.