Water pressure

Water pressure helps us move water from the River Murray, our reservoirs, bores and other supply systems through pipes to our treatment plants, storage tanks, mains, and ultimately our customers' taps.

The water pressure at your home or business can be affected by many things, such as whether you are located at the top or bottom of a hill, as well as the distance from a reservoir, storage tank or water main.

It is normal for water pressure to vary across South Australia, due to differences in the local terrain, as well as the various types of infrastructure we use to deliver water across our large network.

Low water pressure/flow

If your water pressure/flow of water is too low, first check there isn’t a problem with the plumbing at your property. This could include a partially closed internal stop tap (if fitted), a faulty pressure limiting valve (PLV) which is a common addition to new houses since 2005 or a leak. To help, see how to locate a leak on your property.

Planned works by our crews or main breaks may temporarily reduce your water pressure. View our list of current and planned water outages to see if your area is impacted and subscribe to outage updates. Once works are complete, your water pressure should return to normal levels and the water flow will improve.

Measuring your water flow at home

We aim to provide a minimum of approximately 27 litres of water per minute at your water meter. You can test your water flow rate by following these steps:

1. Turn off all taps and water-using devices such as washing machines or dishwashers.
2. Locate your water meter and open the lid.
3. Take a reading by writing down the last three red numbers displayed on your water meter.
4. Fully turn on your front garden tap for one minute.
5. Turn off the tap and take another meter reading, and subtract the first reading from the last. This will tell you how much water you used within a minute.
6. If you receive at least 27 litres a minute or more from your front garden tap, you have an adequate water flow.

If you believe you are receiving less than this, have noticed your water pressure has significantly changed, or if it’s causing issues for you, please report a fault using our online form or call our Customer Care Centre on 1300 SA WATER (1300 729 283).

High water pressure

Since November 2005, the national plumbing standard AS/NZS 3500.1 has required all new water connections to be fitted with a pressure limiting valve (PLV), where water pressures exceed 500Kilopascals (kPa). If your property was built before this time and the water pressure inside your home is greater than 500 kPa, we recommend contacting a plumber to install a PLV at your premises. This can help protect your internal pipework and appliances.

Our responsibilities

Our drinking water supply systems are subject to the requirements of the Water Services Association of Australia WSA 03-2011 code, including acceptable pressure standards.

Our Customer Contract (Obligations: Section 7.2 - Water Reliability) details our responsibilities to provide customers with a water flow rate that meets their needs.