Morning folks

I’m looking for a bit of advice as to possible solutions/causes.

I moved house about 2 months ago and our cold water pressure is dire – you can’t run two cold taps at the same time. At point of entry into the house it’s slow running so I don’t think it’s an internal issue.

The hot water is fine, cylinder boiler fed from a (slow filling) header tank in the loft with a pump on the outflow from the cylinder so no issues at all there.

Other houses in the same terrace running off (I assume) the same main supply have better pressure than I do so i’m guessing there is a restriction somewhere between the main and my property.

Has any one had any experience of getting the water board to assess the flow rate and what, if anything, they’ve done about it?

Is it possible to put a pump on the feed inside the property (before the first outlet) to improve flow if, for sake of argument, it turns out the restriction is under my (newer than the house) garage and would need that pulling down to fix?

Cheers

There is a minimum flow rate they have to provide ‘at the stop cock’, I think, and I also thought there was a change recently about who was responsible for the bit between the main/meter and the stop cock?

they could probably run a boring machine under the garage if it was a pipe restriction there.

Cheers – I’ll try find the relevant info on minimum rates and such (knowing my luck it’ll be about a pint an hour) incase I need it.

http://www.ofwat.gov.uk/households/supply-and-standards/water-pressure/

We had pretty rubbish flow rate when we moved in here. The issue is rarely inside the house so we decided to have the glavanised pipe from the meter/roadside replaced – not a small job as it runs about 100m before it gets to the house.
Anyway, the guys doing the job removed a section of the old pipe and showed it to us…. you could hardly see through it due to the deposits/corrosion. New pipe installed and now the pressure and flow are great.

we had a lead pipe in a similar condition in our Victorian place. I think we relied on the deposit build up to keep us safe from the nasty lead leeching into the water.

There is a minimum flow rate they have to provide ‘at the stop cock’

Which I think is at the roadside and not in where it enters the house – may be wrong though. Certainly used to be anyway as I spoke to the water co and they sent someone to inspect…. they replaced the [roadside] meter with a larger diameter one, but beyond that was my responsibility.

Cheers for the responses,having had a nosey following waswas’ first post I think externally “my responsibility” is about 2 metre of piping any how as there is a stop cock in the drive close to the house which should make that argument much easier if I have to have it.

9l/min doesn’t sound like a lot though, and if that is only as far as the stopcock that’s very little indeed split between the 4 or 8 houses which will be feeding off that one communication pipe.

Sharkbait – did you just use a normal plumber or did you need to get a specialist company in? I imagine most plumbers are of the “inside work only” variety.

Might be worth checking that the stopcock is actually fully open…

(…if you haven’t already.)

Specialist company as the pipe was moled underground most of the way.

^ My thought exactly!^

How old is the stop cock? Has it partially disintegrated within the body? I’ve just spent today dealing with this issue at one of properties I look after, and lo and behold…

A couple of days ago the water flow and pressure reduced to the point it was no longer triggering the combi boiler for hot water. It turned out to be the internal stop cock had seized and the washer had broken up. The supply pipe turned out to be lead and quite small bore too, so have run a new plastic 25mm supply from the external stop valve to a new internal stop cock. All is now good and in fact, better than it was.

I noticed that the pressure was good at the external valve, but the flow wasn’t that great, which I’m putting down to the short run of lead pipe that runs from the mains to this valve. Apparently Anglian Water will replace this section foc as part of their lead replacement programme, so long as the pipe after their valve has also been changed.

They were really helpful, actually coming out yesterday to install this exterior valve as we couldn’t find any means of shutting the water off before it reaches the property, also with no charge.

See if you can test at the external valve too, in other words 😀

The external stop is my next port of call – I’ve blagged a tool thing so I can reach it which should be landing in the office tomorrow.

Internal one is as full open as possible though.

Unfortunately I’ve no way of testing the pressure beyond the first outlet though so, on the assumption the stopcock is not the cause, I’m stuck with contacting the waterboard I guess.

The 9lpm figure is correct but that’s only up to 2 properties, any more than that and the minimum flowrate increases.
Get onto your water company and have it tested (are you in Wales by any chance?)

9l/min doesn’t sound like a lot though, and if that is only as far as the stopcock that’s very little indeed split between the 4 or 8 houses which will be feeding off that one communication pipe.

Sounds as though you may be on a shared supply too. Are you first or last in the terrace? THis pipe would be shared responsibility between all the houses. Sometimes the shared pipework can be the problem – is it worse at particular times of day (breakfast / shower time)? If so the pipework may not be up to the demand.

I think externally “my responsibility” is about 2 metre of piping any how as there is a stop cock in the drive close to the house

This webpage gives a helpful guide to who is responsible for what.

First port of call would be to call the water company and ask if someone can check the pressure and flow. They should be able to check the water at that point for you.

First you need to know if it is pressure or flow or both that you are suffering from.

Are there any pressuse reducing valves in the supply, all valves fully open, in line strainers clean if fitted, check valves clear of obstruction, aerated flow taps clean at outlet (this one is so common!)?

Once you have a reading of your pressure and flow then you can ask what the company are providing?

A new pipe may be the answer, however a company called Total Water Solutions may be able to offer some advice.

Can you put your thumb over the cold tap and stop the water for a minute? That would help identify if the problem is low pressure?

If not, the problem is likely to be a restriction in the pipe – stopcock/damaged furred up pipe/old lead mains.

If you can stop it, then enquirer via the water company about a pressure test. They will often just look at the nearest test point they have and deduct your elevation to offer a pressure you can expect, rather than actually come and test it though – and the legal minimum can deliver low flow rates if you do have any restrictions.

Might be worth chatting to your neighbours to see that their pressure is like.

Thanks for all the responses, neighbours doesn’t seem to bother them, it’s is poor enough in my house that when the washing machine was filing this evening there was no water from the tap. Tried filing milk bottles and timing and I’m getting sub 3l/m by my very poor method.

Yorkshire water are next port of call to see if I can get it checked and at least narrow down definitively where the issue is (or at least tell me where my bit branches – I’m thinking it must be *my* supply pipe – so I can look at replacement costs)

I’m guessing it’s only my part really if the neighbours are happy assuming common supply, I’d guess I’m first house on the terrace given the external stop is on my drive, but could be barking up the wrong tree.

Came on this thread to advise you got your prostate checked.

Am disappoint.