72 



WATER SUPPLY 



inferring what it shows about the depth factor and its in- 

 fluence on pressure. Devise a simple method of studying 

 the effect of quantity of water in a reservoir on the pres- 

 sure. Have your instructor approve your plan and then 

 try it out. 



Experiment 46. How much water is lost because of 

 a leaking faucet ? 



Find a leaking faucet at home or in your school. If you 

 are unable to locate a leaking faucet anywhere, allow a 

 faucet to drip. Collect the dripping water for a half hour 

 and measure the quantity. Calculate the quantity lost in one 

 hour, the quantity lost in one day (twenty- four hours), 

 and the quantity lost in one year. Find the cost of water in 

 your city and calculate the loss in dollars for one year. Re- 

 cord your calculations in your notebook. 1 



Experiment 47. What are the types of faucets and how 

 do they operate ? 



Three different types of faucets are used in homes and 

 buildings: the screw type, the spring type, and the com- 

 pression type. Try to find one of 

 each type. Take them apart and 

 examine them. Study the draw- 

 ings of faucets in Figure 110. Re- 

 cord the results in your notebook. 2 



Experiment 48. How is a leak- 

 ing faucet repaired? 



Find a leaking faucet and re- 

 pair it. Read the following state- 

 ments carefully before you pro- 

 ceed. 



a. Shut off the water. If no 

 device for cutting off the water 

 is provided underneath the fau- 

 cet you will have to shut it off in 

 the basement. 



b. Open the faucet to make cer- 

 tain the water is shut off. 



c. Unscrew the cap from the 

 faucet. 



d. Determine what type of fau- 

 cet it is. 



e. If it is a screw or spring 

 type of faucet proceed as follows. 

 Remove the valve. Remove the 

 screw which holds the rubber or 

 leather washer. Remove the old 

 washer and fit in a new one. Re- 

 place the screw which holds the washer. Replace the valve 

 and cap. Turn on the water and test the faucet. 



f. The compression faucet requires a fuller ball, which 

 can be purchased at a hardware store. 



Record the results of this experiment in your notebook. 3 



READINGS WHICH WILL HELP ANSWER THE 

 PROBLEM QUESTIONS 



How is water distributed and handled in your 

 home? Water must be furnished at sufficient pressure 



1 See workbook, p. 27. 



2 See workbook, p. 27. 



3 See workbook, p. 27. 



to force it to the tops of the highest buildings in the 

 community. Cities like Denver and Los Angeles 

 which are located near hills or mountains build res- 

 ervoirs at a high elevation. The water flows in large 

 pipes called mains by the force of gravity to the 



THE SPRIN& TYPE 



FIG. 110. THREE TYPES 

 OF FAUCET 



International News Photos, Inc. 



FIG. 111. DAM, SHOWING THICKNESS AT BASE 



places in the community where it is used. In cities and 

 towns not so fortunately located, stores of water are 

 frequently pumped into standpipes or tanks. From 

 the standpipes the water runs by gravity through the 

 mains to the homes. In some large cities water is 

 forced directly through the mains by force pumps. 



In the building of large dams like those that have 

 been constructed in the past few years for irrigation 

 and for electric power, the matter of water pressure is 

 important. You have seen 

 from your experiment that 

 the pressure of water in a 

 reservoir or behind a giant 

 dam depends only upon the 

 depth of the water and not at 

 all upon the amount of water. 



Exercise. Study the photo- 

 graph in Figure 111 and then 

 write in the proper place in your 

 notebook how the fact that 

 water pressure is greater at 

 greater depths has been pro- 

 vided for in the construction of 

 the dam. 



The faucets, pipes, and 

 traps through which fresh 

 water is circulated and wastes 

 are carried away from our FIG. 112. STANDPIPE 



