Water Pressure Issues

[CuriousCalamity]

Good afternoon all.

 

This is a bit long winded and concerns my local water supplier, and my lack of water pressure.

 

I live in a top level flat above some shops. My water pressure has been dodgy since I moved in –if either shop below is using the cold supply, my supply is compromised. This wasn’t a massive issue (I’m at work all day and they close before I get home) until a restaurant opened behind my property (in a different set of building across a car park.) It’s open until 10pm at night, and when they are open my cold water supply shuts off completely, but not only that, it’s actually being sucked back into the pipes. For example, if I’m in the shower and they use their water, the water coming from my shower head is forcibly sucked back through and the supply stops completely until they turn their taps off.

 

I spoke to a plumber friend of mine about it and he raised concerns that this could be a legionnaire’s disease risk and should be addressed as soon as possible. I immediately reported the issue to my local supply company. A phone call and a detailed email from me later, they sent one of their field agents out to my house. I asked them to send him during the evening so he could see the issues with the water supply first hand (which caused grumbles as he wanted to come at 8am!). He came around 6pm, put a meter on one of my kitchen taps for a couple of minutes (conveniently when there was no interruption to the supply) and told me I was getting way above the required pressure. I explained again the situation but he was dismissive (although generally pleasant). My plumber friend was with me thankfully, and but his back-up made little difference, and the legionnaires concerns were also dismissed.

 

The agent stated that they only deals with pipes in their ‘area’ and that the pipes etc. beneath the car park (supplying five shops and me) were not their concern (despite them supplying the water). He did say he would dig up a small portion of the car park right by the road to check the pipes (nowhere near my flat!), and if it was obvious there was an issue they would let me know.

 

Around three weeks later I received an email (please note that no digging had taken place at all) to inform me that a meter of some kind was placed across the road (nowhere near my property or the car park in question) and it turns out everyone is getting great water pressure (!!), and if I want something done about my problem I’d have to pay for work to be done myself, including informing all the shops, finding out who owns the car park, etc., etc. My plumber friend now thinks I should inform environmental health. But I’m unsure of what to do. I’m seriously considering just moving house to be honest!

 

So, is there anything further I can do? Has my supplier fulfilled their obligations properly? Is the plumber overreacting? I’m paying £40 a month for my water and am concerned that this constant interruption to my supply will not only damage my washing machine and shower along the way, but also my sanity!

 

Any advice would be gratefully received!

 

Thank you.

[unclebulgaria67]

If you don't own the property, you should speak to the landlord or letting agent about this. It sounds like the flat needs to have its own supply pipe installed and that will be a cost to whoever owns the flat. It could be pretty expensive and complicated. The water supply company is only responsible up to the water supply connection point somewhere outside of the buildings.

 

I think the water regulator OFWAT ? has a consumer helpline. Perhaps you need to speak to someone who knows more. I have a feeling water companies have no responsibility, other than provision of water, but not at any given standard pressure inside properties.

[unclebulgaria67]

It is not OFWAT, but the following link that might be able to answer questions.

 

http://www.ccwater.org.uk/

[ericsbrother]

your local problem is loss of head which means a bigger supply pipe is needed to cope with demand rather than a change in the pressure at your end. Being several floors up when there is a demand on the water the weight of the water in the pipe to your property will gravity feed the lower down ones as you have found out. A bigger pipe will work at the same pressure but the larger volume maintain the pressure and will keep the water in your pipes. The cost will be borne by the properties affected unless you can persuade the pipe in the road to burst at a convenient location and get the work piggy-backed on to the repair.