Drinking water installations in hospitals – High hygiene requirements

To ensure that water runs out of the tap clear and without causing any health problems, a number of basic conditions must be considered in the design: In addition to the temperature, the contamination of the components before and during assembly and the type of installation, the materials used also have an effect on the water quality. For this reason, for example, the Drinking Water Directive limits the entry of lead to 0.01 mg/l. In demanding projects such as hospitals, planners, installers and operators have the responsibility to minimise the health risk for patients and staff. This can be achieved in particular through forward-looking construction planning and product selection. Piping systems that do not release lead contaminates into drinking water are now available on the market.

Lead-free and clean installation

We offer system pipes and fittings made of copper, stainless steel and silicon bronze, which enable an absolutely lead-free installation. The stainless steel pipes belonging to the NiroSan series are made of the carbon-reduced material 1.4404 with a particularly high molybdenum content of at least 2.3 %, which gives them very good corrosion protection. To ensure consistently high material quality, the pipes are manufactured in our own factory in Berlin. We are also the only manufacturer to date to produce all system press, transition and threaded fittings from lead-free CuSi silicon bronze (traditionally brass was used), a particularly hard and dense copper alloy. Fittings made of silicon bronze are very suitable for drinking water installations due to their hygienic and corrosion-proof properties.

Even after production, the parts in contact with water are carefully protected. The stainless steel pipes are fitted with end caps and the fittings are hygienically packed in protective bags. The caps may only be removed immediately before installation and should be re-attached if the installation remains open for any length of time. The fittings are also only removed from the protective bags directly before they are processed. The installer checks all components for cleanliness before assembly. In the event of assembly interruptions, open pipe ends must be securely closed. This care ensures that as little dirt particles and moisture as possible penetrate the installation. The former could provide a breeding ground for micro-organisms, while moisture in combination with oxygen can lead to corrosion in base metals.

Well-designed products

A special advantage for the installer is the tool compatibility – our fittings can be pressed up to and including 54 mm with all original press profiles. In addition, our product range includes all common connection techniques and materials. Here we are responding to the wishes of the site engineers who, as a rule, create mixed installations for economic reasons. These are, for example, fixed distribution and rising pipes in combination with flexible connection pipes such as PEX. In addition, there are the new and cleaner installation techniques that help to safeguard drinking water hygiene, such as loops and ring pipe installations. These allow for smaller pipe diameters and avoid stagnation in any and all sections of the piping net.