What is the primary purpose of using an air gap in water systems?

The primary purpose of using an air gap in water systems is to prevent contamination. An air gap acts as a physical barrier between the potable water supply and any potential contaminants. It is a space that separates the water source from any downstream connection, which ensures that there is no direct pathway for backflow or siphoning of non-potable substances into the drinking water supply.

When water is flowing under pressure, if there is a drop in pressure in the system, contaminants could be drawn back into the potable water supply. An air gap effectively eliminates this risk by providing a vertical separation that must be maintained, making it impossible for contaminated water to flow back into the clean water supply. This is a fundamental principle in cross-connection control and is critical for safeguarding public health.

While taste enhancement, boosted pressure, and sediment reduction are beneficial in water systems, they are not the primary functions of an air gap. Those functions would pertain to other mechanisms or improvements in water treatment and supply systems but do not address the critical concern of preventing contamination.