Pressure Reduction 'Promise'

[crockett]

Just posting on another thread, and it jogged my memory about something. I took an unvented course before Christmas, and during the course the instructor, a seemingly very well informed and intelligent man, stated that in the not-too-distant-future, the standard pressure to each household will be a maximum of 1 bar. I said to him, all cocky, " Don't you mean 1 bar minimum ? ( chortle ) He said," No, I did just say maximum across all the water authorities, as part of the water management programme being implemented, to combat the extreme wastage in this country"

Surely this will create a problem in the plumbing sector, with regard to unvented systems, and a demand for good pressure ?

 

[The Baker]

A lot of our customers will be most unhappy if that actually happens, indeed they will be very cross, and willprobably strongly object to their MP's, especially when given all the MP's contact details by us plumbing and heating blokes.

Tim

 

[dextrous]

As I recall from a recent remark between us crockett, it's the flow rate that's the key. So, I would have thought that it would be more likely that they could reduce the flow rate, whilst keeping the pressures optimal. Surely this would be a better way of managing water resources.

 

[TicklyT]

From the water network operator's point of view, reducing the mains water pressure to the absolute minimum they can get away with will reduce their losses from leakage with minimal repairs to their infrastructure, so.....

 

[crockett]

Maybe thats the method the authorities are going to use, Dex, but if they are going to optimise pressure, surely there is some crossover point between good pressure and flow at peak usage times ? Would they require more pumping stations, boosters in-line, etc. ? Without knowing every fact about my local water authority, Thames Water, the largest water wasting authority of them all I'm led to believe, this would end up costing even more to implement ? Also, with regard to unvented systems, if the water pressure at a property is anything less than 2 bar, I normally suggest that the householder may want to try a different system. And before anyone says, "But the specs say........." fit one in someone's property who has low pressure, then argue about specs!!

 

[jono_h]

Having worked for Thames Water in the past I can say that they did indeed reduce the pressure across some parts of the network, as a means to reduce leakage.

There were a number of high rise properties that were affected, and the general response was that they'd have to install a booster system.

 

[plumbnuts]

I can't see that ever happening.
What about the fire hydrants

 

[crockett]

Fire appliances will carry the booster pumps for that, if it happens.