Water Pressure
We aim to ensure that your water pressure is no less than our target of 1 bar at the boundary of your property. We have monitoring devices throughout our mains to monitor our pressure levels.
Water pressure in the mains network is not always constant throughout the year, and from hour to hour throughout the day. Water pressure changes in response to the demand for water being placed on the distribution system. This is normal.
There may be some occasions when we cannot meet the target. This may be due to high water demand during hot sunny spells. Under such circumstances, temporary loss of water pressure is unavoidable. In addition, routine maintenance and improvements to our mains network or burst mains can temporarily reduce pressure - this should disappear within a day or so unless we advise you otherwise.
Water Pressure Problems
Although not an emergency, water pressure problems can be of concern, so we offer the following information and tips to help you decide the best way to resolve your pressure problems.
Flow and pressure in your home will be affected by the length of the supply pipe. On longer supply pipes, particulary those with a smaller internal diameter, we may be providing our target water pressure at the boundary, but the pipe may be too small to deliver the flow of water to your property. This will appear to you as poor pressure, but is in fact caused by a small diameter pipe not meeting your demand for water.
Some things to consider:
Some pressure problems can be caused by faulty, damaged and leaking pipes and fittings, for example ball valves and stop taps inside your home.
If the pipes in your home are old, they may have become corroded, restricting the water flow. You may want to ask your local plumber to check this for you.
Leaks from pipes or fittings will cause a reduction in water pressure. If you have a water meter, check for a leak by taking a reading from your meter just before going to bed and again in the morning. If the figures are different, you may have a leak. If you do not have a meter, listen for hissing sounds from inside pipes or look for damp patches.
A partially closed branch stop tap inside your home could be the cause of some water pressure problems. Gently opening up the tap may increase the pressure. To fully open the tap, you should open and close it several times until the number of turns from open to closed in constant.
Do not leave the tap fully open. Turn it back a quarter of a turn to stop it seizing up.
If you have a concern about your water pressure, you can contact us on: 0800 389 10 11
Related Links
Supply Responsibility|Separation of Supplies|