Bidet Toilet Seats

grumbler

nofoollikeold said:

Bidet showers will contravene the Water Regulations unless they are protected by an air gap, which generally means they have to be tank fed (hot and cold).  
Water Regulations may sound boring, but they are there to make sure the water supply for everyone is clean, and not contaminated by the selfish few.

And what if I wash my dirty bum with a normal shower while sitting on the edge of my bath? I guess the 'regulations' forgot to cover this. Do they say that the hose from a bath must not reach a toilet?  And generally, is a toilet much different from a bath full of water, that is far from being clean after one takes a bath?

This was a sarcastic comment. Why non-return valves can't protect 'everyone'? - This is a genuine question.

Murmansk

I seem to remember reading that shower heads are supposed to be fitted in such a way that if they are dropped they don't hang down far enough to be inside the bath. I think the theory is that IF the bath was full of water and IF the shower head was in that water and IF the water supply failed in a way that it created a negative pressure in the pipes and IF you'd poo-ed in the bath then the water from the bath would get sucked into the supply pipe and then IF the negative pressure was sustained for long enough the contaminated water could end up coming out of someone else's tap!! 

I wonder if the Japanese have more lax water regulations than we do - maybe they do and thus have higher rates of cholera than we do!? One thing's for sure, they've got cleaner bottoms than we have!

nofoollikeold

To the "grumbler".
1. No, the regulations have not forgotten this.  As Murmansk states, a shower on a flexible hose must have a guard (usually a ring on the riser rail) to prevent it getting into the bath water.
2. Yes, they do state that the hose must not be able to reach a WC.
3. The bath is unlikely to be as dirty (i.e. contain fluid of category 5) as a toilet, but it can be depending on individual use, which is why it must drain into a foul sewer, and cannot have a direct connection to mains water without an air gap.
4. Non return valves are far from foolproof.  They clog up and fail (particularly in hard water areas), so neither a single check valve nor a double check valve are deemed sufficient protection against the back flow of fluid categories 1 to 4 inclusive.  There are valves which can provide sufficient protection, such as reduced pressure zone valves.  However, these are extremely expensive, and, from memory, can only be fitted by qualified personnel.  The only accepted ways of protecting against category 5 fluids (e.g. sinks, urinal, WC pans, bidets) are one of a number of different types of air gap, or (in relation to back siphonage only) a pipe interrupter with permanent air vent.  
5. If you are interested in finding out about the subject, rather than merley commenting on it, I can recommend "The Water Regulations Guide" and particular, Section 6.

Anoneemoose

Thanks for the comments...although I’m a tad worried now as my shower head does reach to the bath and actually lays in it..should it not?! 

grumbler

Just use your common sense and ignore the regulations. They are designed to make everything fool-proof.

My bidet shower lies in the toilet too.

Of course, it doesn't.

Justagardener

Anoneemoose said:

Hi,

Due to disability and mobility issues, I am considering getting one of these but I know nothing about them, nor anyone who has one.

Does anyone have any experience of them and can tell me - are they worth it? And what is needed from an electrical and plumbing point of view to install it?

Thanks in advance.

The toilet seats really are very good. The sprays are a cheaper option, I have two installed since there was a chance of  a toilet paper shortage. I don't know why more people don't have them.
In fact, you can get so used to using a bidet that it doesn't feel right cleaning any other way. I have an electric travel one too!