Pressure and Flow

A commonly misunderstood area for customers is the difference between water pressure and water flow. A customer may notify the operator that they don't have any water pressure, when they might actually be describing a low flow situation.

System pressures will generally differentiate very little during normal conditions.

Low pressure can be caused by:

• Unusual water demands elsewhere in the system
• Pump or pressure tank problems

Low flow problems can be caused by:

• Piping mineral build-up
• Valves partially closed
• Failure to adequately interconnect mains
• Pipe fittings that cause water to lose velocity as it changes direction

Operators need to discriminate between pressure and flow problems when troubleshooting customer complaints.