What is a municipal backup or emergency water supply?
A well designed back up water system will sense when municipal water is being received at low pressure or when the supply has been cut off. It allows for a continuous,
uninterrupted water supply undeterred by the availability of municipal water.
In the event of a drop in municipal water pressure, a municipal pipe burst or a municipally imposed water cut, our pump will automatically wakeup and deliver stored water to the home or building. When municipal supply is restored the backup supply will revert to municipal source. Cross-over from one supply to the next is seamless.
The municipal backup/emergency water supply comes with three settings.
- Setting 1 allows only municipal water into the building/home directly, bypassing the pump.
- Setting 2 allows only stored tank water to enter the building/home via the pump. The water in the tank is automatically topped up by municipal supply when available.
- Setting 3, the default position, allows the system to sense when there is an issue with municipal supply. The home/building will receive direct municipal supply provided there is sufficient supply pressure. Should the pressure drop the pump will automatically wake up and supplement or replace the municipal supply. Once the municipal supply has normalised the pump will revert to sleep mode.
What to bear in mind when installing a Backup / Emergency water supply?
- The minimum water storage capacity required.
- The required duration of expected water outage.
- The operating pressure and flow rate required for pump selection.
- Water quality needs and filtration.
FAQ:
What happens to the water if it remains stored in the tank for a prolonged period?
Clean municipal water stored in tanks will stay fresh for months if it is not exposed to sunlight. We prolong the quality of the stored water by using a weather proof lid. If the tank water is not used within a year, we recommend flushing the tank and allowing it to refill with fresh water.
What happens to the pump when it is not used for a prolonged period?
A pump should not stand idle for a prolonged period as this results in the seals hardening, which could cause the pump to fail when needed during times of unexpected water outage. For this reason the pump is set to initiate for a few minutes every week to keep all the components in working order. (Idle pump protection)
How long will the pump stay on at a time?
The pump will only wake up under two conditions:
- When water is called for and insignificant municipal water is available.
- During the weekly maintenance cycle. (Idle pump protection)
When there is no demand (water use) the pump will remain in sleep mode.
What is the maintenance on the system.
We recommend an annual maintenance schedule consisting of the following:
- Water storage tanks should be flushed.
- Replace the batteries of the Idle pump protection mechanism
- Clean out the water filter (if fitted)
- Test all valves
- Recalibrate start-up and shut-off settings
- Re-pressurise expansion vessels
- Inspect system for leaks