Water supply system for an aircraft

A water supply system for use in an aircraft, the water supply system comprising:

• a buffer tank for holding a volume of water comprising a fluid inlet, a supply outlet, and a relief port;
• a supply arrangement for selectively permitting fluid flow from the supply outlet to a user equipment via a supply conduit;
• and
• a relief arrangement for permitting fluid flow from or into the relief port, the relief arrangement comprising a relief conduit that is in fluid communication with the relief port and comprises a separation element, which is defined by the user equipment and comprises:
• a separation element outlet;
• and
• a separation element inlet positioned above the separation element outlet;
• wherein the separation element inlet is separated from the separation element outlet by an airgap that defines a separation distance, such that:
• water flowing in a forwards direction, from the separation element inlet and towards the separation element outlet, flows from the separation element inlet to the separation element outlet across the separation distance;
• and
• water flowing in a reverse direction, from the separation element outlet and towards the separation element inlet, flows into the separation element outlet and is retained within the separation element inlet;
• wherein the relief conduit is configured to allow an inflow of air to the buffer tank through the relief port, the inflow of air being in the reverse direction, to prevent a build-up of negative pressure in the buffer tank as the buffer tank is emptied by the fluid flow out of the supply outlet by the supply arrangement.