By: Ily Rosin - wet and gas infrastructure engineer
Overview of Water Supply System at the Technion
The system includes two consumer connections from the Carmel Water system – a main consumer connection at Neve Sha’anan Gate with a diameter of 8″ receives water supply from the Zalman Shneour reservoir at 280+ m. A high consumer connection in the Kfar Mishtalmim area with a diameter of 6″ receives water supply from the North Ahuza reservoir at 340+ m. Connected to the main consumer line is an 8″ supply line on the upper access road (along the Senate Dorms), which splits at the square and runs along the main ring road on campus, and from there to most of the consumers at the Technion, including faculties, administrative buildings, the sports complex and dormitory areas. From the high consumer connection, 3 supply lines diverge – a 6″ diameter line towards the Neve America Dorms, Palm Beach and Senate Dorms. A 6″ diameter line to Kfar Mishtalmim and a 6″ diameter line through the Technion Forest for supply to the mechanical and aeronautics faculties. The water system also includes a water pumping station (booster) which in an emergency pushes water from the main supply line (fed from the Neve Sha’anan consumer connection) to the pooling reservoir located at 315+ m. The pumping capacity of the booster – 60 mks. The volume of the reservoir (currently used for emergency and sprinkler water, and not for active water supply) is 1,300 m3. These days we are in the process of obtaining a building permit for construction of a new reservoir, with a volume of 1,500 m3. The reservoir will be built next to Derech HaYa’ar (above the Senate dorms) at a height of 260+m.
Overview of Wastewater Disposal
The Technion campus is built on the side of Mount Carmel and the area slopes from south to north. Most of the collection system is gravitational in nature because of this structure. There are 3 wastewater pumping stations on campus. One of the stations (a pumping station under the pre-academic studies building) is expected to be canceled in the coming year and will be replaced by a gravity line.
The structure of the transmission system – the campus area is divided into 2 sewage basins – a western basin and an eastern basin. The western sewage basin makes up 20% of the campus area. The central sewage collector in the basin is a joint collector for the Technion and Ziv neighborhood. The collection runs partly in the Wadi at the back of Adam HaCohen Street and partly on the road leading to Canada Gate in the Technion area. The line leaves the campus area at Canada Gate and heads towards the Wadi, north of Dori Road. The diameter of the collector is 250 mm.
The eastern basin constitutes 80% of the campus area. Several reservoirs connect to a central reservoir in the lower part of the basin, in the Gutwirth Park area. The diameter of the collector is 250 mm and it leaves the campus area in the lower part of Gutwirth Park, crosses the access road to Nesher and descends in the Wadi north of Dorey Road.
Topics for General Awareness
Why wet wipes should not be disposed of in the toilet
Wet wipes are made from polyester and viscose fibers. They are very durable. When they reach the sewer system they stretch, wrap around each other and curl – because of this, they cause blockages in the sewer system. The wipes collect on the exit trenches from the buildings and plug them. As a result, sewage may flow into the lower apartments in the dormitory complexes.
Why cooking oil should not be poured down the drain
Oil is hydrophobic – it repels water. In addition, oil tends to crystallize and form clumps, which causes a blockage in the drainage pipes. If oil goes through the sink and reaches the building’s main sewage system, it will undoubtedly clog it. When you set up a restaurant, you build a separate chamber in the sewage system called a grease separator – all the oils and fats from cooking accumulate in this chamber and it is pumped periodically. Home sewage systems do not have a grease separator – therefore, pouring oil into it will clog the pipes.
