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PLUMBING CONNECTION
SPRING 2015
V
iruses can spread like wildfire and as such we’re prone
to contract one or two in our lifetimes. Thankfully
the immune system eventually fends most of them
off but it is the deadly ones that are generally toughest to
prevent.
It goes without saying then, that a preventative method
that can stop the spread of infection before it rears its ugly
head is certainly a good thing. The Dyteqta-System provides
a pro-active solution to the spread of pathogens via a
building’s drainage system.
“Building drainage systems are one of only a few
engineered fluid carrying systems which link a whole
building. If they fail, harmful pathogens may enter the
building and spread life-threatening viruses and diseases,”
Technical Director of Dyteqta, Steven White explains. Such
was the case in the 2003 SARS epidemic in Hong Kong.
Poor plumbing and maintenance were identified as a
contributory factor and as a result the drainage system
became a cross-transmission route for the SARS virus,
leading to a dramatic rise in the number of cases in one
particular building. There were 321 infected cases and 42
deaths in Amoy Gardens housing estate alone. A tragedy
that could have been avoided if it weren’t for depleted floor
traps.
If such an outbreak had this type of detrimental impact
on relatively healthy occupants, a similar event occurring
in a hospital or aged care facility, where health is already a
concern, could have devastating outcomes.
A PRO-ACTIVE DRAINAGE
MONITORING SOLUTION, AT LAST
A STUDY INTO THE CAUSES OF THE 2003 SARS OUTBREAK IN HONG KONG, WHICH RESULTED IN NUMEROUS
DEATHS AND ILLNESSES, YIELDS THE LESSON THAT WATER TRAP SEALS PLAY A PIVOTAL ROLE IN MINIMISING THE
SPREAD OF DEADLY PATHOGENS.
JUSTIN FELIX
REPORTS ON A REVOLUTIONARY DRAINAGE MONITORING SYSTEM.
DEFECTIVE WATER TRAP SEALS
IMAGE 1:
The SARS Coronavirus (CoV) outbreak in Hong
Kong in 2003 is believed to have spread from Block E of
the Amoy Gardens housing complex. The figure above
demonstrates how the loss of a floor drain trap seal,
combined with negative pressure in the restroom caused by
a mechanical extractor fan, apparently resulted in faecal-
droplet transmission (evaporative) of the disease.
IMAGE 2:
The spread of the SARS virus through Block E of
Amoy Gardens, Hong Kong, was rapid and pervasive. In
the space of one week the disease spread to occupants on
one floor of Building #7 (red) to numerous floors (yellow)
throughout both Buildings #7 and #8.
1
2
AIR SEAL
SEWER
SEWER
INLET
SARS SPREADING FLOORS AT
BLOCK E OF AMOY GARDEN
#7 BUILDING
COURTYARD
#8 BUILDING
LOCATION OF
THE FIRST
CASES ON
MARCH 14
& 19
OTHER
CASES
(FROM
MARCH 21)
THE AIR SEAL &
SEWER - AGED
AND IN POOR
CONDITION
SARS
SPREADING VIA
SEWER SYSTEM
WATER DROPLETS
BECOME
AIRBOURNE