Close up of a hand under a tap with the water running

IWNL will aim to provide a minimum pressure of 10 metres head (or one bar) at the boundary of the property. This means there is enough force/pressure to push the water to a height of 10m.

It is our legal duty to supply customers with all the water necessary for domestic purposes – cleaning, washing, cooking, central heating and sanitation, as well as watering your garden and washing your car.

By law, we must provide a minimum pressure of 0.7bar measured at the boundary of your property that connects to our main.

Pressure test

To carry out your own pressure test, firstly ensure all other taps and appliances are turned off.

Now turn on your kitchen tap at full power and use a 1 litre jug to see how many times you can fill it in the space of one minute. Filling it 9 or more times confirms an adequate flow rate to your property.

What taps are affected?

If your hot tap or upstairs taps are affected this is likely to be an internal plumbing issue and not the responsibility of IWNL.  In this instance please contact a plumber.

If your kitchen tap is affected this could either be an internal issue or could possibly be related to a wider issue. If the above pressure test, confirms low pressure, please contact IWNL.

Sudden loss of pressure – things to check

It’s possible that there could be ongoing works in the area, or work that has recently been completed that could have affected your supply.  It’s always a good idea to speak to your neighbours to see if they are also affected.

What are the next steps?

You’re only responsible for the parts of the system that sit within your home’s boundary (after the meter if it’s located outside or after the outside stop value (OSV) if your meter is located internally). If other properties are affected, or you still have concerns after going through the above, then it’s important to get in touch with us on 02920 028711 as soon as possible .