This document defines and describes various elements of plumbing systems and waste water. It discusses three types of waste water - storm water, grey water, and black water. It then defines 31 elements of sanitary plumbing systems, including soil pipes, stacks, vents, branches, drains, sewers, traps, and more. It provides diagrams to illustrate concepts like shafts, pipe chases, and pipe sleeves. Overall, the document provides a comprehensive overview of key components and terminology related to plumbing systems and waste water management.

1. PLUMBING
SYSTEMS

8. Three degrees or grades of WASTE WATER
1. Storm Water – from the rain
2. Grey Water – wastes from laundries, wash basins, sinks,
showers, bath tubs
3. Black Water – water plus human waste solid and liquid,
urine, that is flushed out of toilets and urinals.
ELEMENTS OF THE SANITARY SYSTEM
1. Soil Pipe – any pipe which conveys the discharge of water
closets, urinals, or fixtures having similar functions.
2. Stack – a general term used for any vertical line of soil,
waste, or vent piping.
3. Soil Stack Pipe – a vertical soil pipe conveying fecal matter
and liquid waste.

9. ELEMENTS (cont’d.)
4. Stack Vent – an extension or waste stack above the highest
horizontal drain connected to the stack.

10. ELEMENTS (cont’d.)
5. Vent – a pipe or opening used for ensuring the circulation of
air in a plumbing system and for reducing to pressure exerted
on trap seals.
6. Unit Vent – an arrangement of venting so installed that one
vent pipe will serve two (2) traps.
7. Wet Vent – that portion of a vent pipe through which liquid
waste flow.
8. Branch – any part of a piping system other than the main,
riser or stack.
9. Main – the main of any system of continuous piping is the
principal artery of the system to which branches may be
connected.
10. Branch Vent – a vent pipe connecting from a branch of the
drainage system to a vent stack.

11. ELEMENTS (cont’d.)
11. Waste Pipe – a pipe which conveys only liquid wastes free
of fecal matter.
12. Drain – a sewer or other pipe or conduit used for conveying
ground water, surface water, waste water, or sewage.
13. Sewer – a pipe or conduit for carrying sewage and waste
liquids.
14. Sewage – the liquid wastes conducted away from buildings/
structures, also of the storm water.
15. Sewerage – a comprehensive term, including all construction
for collection, transportation, pumping, treatment and final
disposition of waste.
16. Cleanout Ferrule – a metallic sleeve, calked or otherwise,
joined to an opening in a pipe, into which a plug is screwed
that can be removed for the purpose of cleaning or examining
the interior of the pipe.

12. ELEMENTS (cont’d.)
17. Trap – a fitting or device so constructed as to prevent the
passage of air, gas, and some vermin through a pipe with-
out materially affecting the flow of sewage or waste water
through it.
Cleanout Ferrule

13. ELEMENTS (cont’d.)
18. House Drain – that part of the lowest horizontal piping of a
plumbing system which receives the discharge from soil,
waste and other drainage pipes inside of a building and
conveys it to the house sewer. It should have a slope of at
least ¼” to a foot or 0.00g for every 0.30 meter (6 mm for
every 300 mm).
1/4”
12”
6 mm
300 mm (30 cm or 0.30 m)
19. House Sewer – the house sewer is that part of a plumbing
system extending from a point about four (4) or five (5) feet
from the inner face of the foundation wall of a building to the
junction with another sewer.

14. 20. House Trap – a trap connected to lowest horizontal piping
or House Drain.
21. Relief Vent – a vent the primary (Fresh Air Inlet) function of
which is to provide circulation of air between drainage and
vent system.
22. Public Sewer – a common sewer directly controlled by public
authority to which abutters have equal rights of connection.
23. Sipitonage – a section caused by the flow of liquids in pipes.

15. 24. Spigot – The end of a pipe which fits into a bell. Also a word
synonymously with the faucet.
25. Seal – The vertical distance between the dip and crown wire
of a trap.

16. 26. Roughing In – The installation of all pipes in the plumbing
system that are in partitions and under floors.
27. Finishing – The setting of Fixtures.
28. Sump – a pit or receptacle at a low point to which the liquid
wastes are drained.
29. Shaft – a vertical opening through a building for elevators,
dumbwaiters, light, ventilation, etc.
30. Sleeve – a sheet metal placed when concrete is poured to
accommodate future plumbing pipes.
31. Pipe Chase – an opening or space accommodate a group
pipes.
32. Duct – Opening for ventilation circulation of air.

17. Figure: A shaft, a pipe chase, and pipe sleeves

29. NATIONAL PLUMBING CODE