GROUNDWORKS 63
POWERING UP HOMES’ WATER PRESSURE
With growing challenges in the UK water industry, Mark Ayckbourn of Stuart Turner highlights key considerations around low water pressure for new builds, and explores effective methods and technology to improve performance.
U
nder UK regulation, households should be supplied with 0.7 bar, or more, of water pressure. In reality, the delivered water pressure will vary throughout the home, with some outlets exceeding the average, and some coming below it.
While most homeowners will have experienced low pressure for one reason or another, the prevalence of climate change, a declining infrastructure and increased housing demand are having an impact – and this is only likely to worsen. A report from international home improvement company, ingfisher plc, discovered that seven out of 17 regions in England are set to experience severe
water stress by 2030, rising to 12 by 2040. The same report also found that we significantly underestimate how much water we use per day, estimating on average we use just 57 litres, compared to the reality (which is 144 litres). The Government target for 2050 is to reduce the current personal consumption to 110 litres per person, per day.
CAUSES OF LOW WATER PRESSURE ater pressure in homes can fluctuate significantly depending on location. eing on higher elevations or at the end of the water supply network, for example, force limitations onto the water pressure the property will receive and can lead to
lower water pressure even when demand isn’t high.
It is well documented that the UK is home to an outdated and in some cases inadequate water infrastructure, which poses sector-wide issues. Having old, deteriorating or leaking pipes can significantly restrict water flow and therefore impact performance. here are of course also the fluctuations in demand that will ultimately have a knock-on effect, with reduced pressure and flow rates at peak water demand periods. For example, in the morning, where multiple homes are needing water for showers this can put a local strain on the system and impact the performance
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