Non-standard water pressure
You may receive pressures outside the standard range for urban areas.
Perth Metropolitan Area property
15 metres of water is the minimum standard
100 metres of water is the maximum standard
Country Urban Area property
13 metres of water is the minimum standard
100 metres of water is the maximum standard
Most commonly, this is in cases where your property is outside an urban area or your land is used for a prescribed use, such as farming. Please note that the assessment of water pressure is made in the vicinity of the water meter. The pressure at your point of use may be different. This could be due to the size, length and configuration of your internal plumbing and difference in ground elevation.
High water pressure
Your property may, at times, receive pressure which exceeds the maximum standard pressure for urban areas. This may be due to the topography of the area and the position of your property relative to our infrastructure. High water pressure may cause damage to pipes and appliances within your property.
We strongly recommend that you consult a licensed plumber to ensure that your current plumbing arrangements are suitable. If required, the plumber can install a pressure reducing valve (PRV) to reduce the pressure to your property.
Frequently asked questions
Plumbing fixtures and household appliances are designed to operate within particular water pressure specifications. Damage can be caused to pipes and appliances where water pressure specifications are exceeded.
High water pressure can increase the occurrence of leaks and bursts. It can also potentially shorten the life of appliances and plumbing fixtures.
High water pressure may also cause excessive noise in your water pipes.
Low water pressure
Due to the topography of the land and design of the scheme some properties receive have low water pressure.
To increase the water pressure inside your home, we recommend discussing your options with a certified plumber. You can search for a waterwise plumber via our waterwise specialists tool.
Frequently asked questions
Plumbing fixtures and household appliances are designed to operate within particular water pressure specifications. Damage can be caused to pipes and appliances where water pressure specifications are exceeded.
High water pressure can increase the occurrence of leaks and bursts. It can also potentially shorten the life of appliances and plumbing fixtures.
High water pressure may also cause excessive noise in your water pipes.
The effects of low pressure are fairly obvious when you turn on your tap. The biggest effect is the flow rate of your water supply. For example, it will take you longer to fill up a bath or sink compared to someone with higher pressure.
Pressures in the water supply network will change within any day or over longer periods. This can be due to:
- changes in customer demands within a day and seasonally
- connection of new customers
- pump stations turning on and off
- future changes such as installing larger pipes or higher pressure pumps
Because of this the pressure at your property could be low at some times and high at other times.
Receiving non-standard water pressure does not change your current water bill costs.
However, high water pressure may result in higher water usage and a larger usage bill. For example, the higher the water pressure, the more litres per minute the shower will use.
High water pressure may also increase the risk of leaks and bursts. Undetected leaks will increase your water usage.
Having low pressure typically means you may use less water. For example, the lower the water pressure, the fewer litres per minute the shower will use.
