Water pressure and colour

Customers served by treated water supplies should receive water that looks clean and consistent in quality. Water may become discoloured from sediment after water main breaks or from corroding household pipes. Flushing the pipe can clear sediment and discoloration. We undertake regular flushing programs in all of our systems to manage sediment build up.

Your private water lines may also need to be flushed if discoloration is a problem. This can be done by running your taps on a high flow rate for a short period. Advice from professional plumbers should also be sought if your household plumbing is thought to be the cause – see ‘Is my household pipework corroded?’

If water at your front tap (closest to the water meter) is clear, but other taps on your property have a higher level of discolouration or sediment, it is most likely that rusting internal galvanised piping may be the cause of the problem.

Generally, the rusted piping will also give the water an unpleasant taste, particularly in tea and coffee, and could even lead to a reduction in your property's water pressure and flow. This is due to the fittings and pipes becoming choked with rust flakes and particles. Rusted galvanised piping can also leave stains on washing. The best solution to this problem is to replace the old pipes with new alternative material pipes. A licensed plumber can assist/advise on the best course of action.

White water (milky or cloudy appearance) is due to harmless, tiny air bubbles being dispersed through the water. This can occur when air is trapped in the pipes after repair works. The problem generally goes away by itself in a short time period, or may require the water main to be flushed.

To check if air is in the water supply, fill a glass with water and allow it to stand for a few minutes. The cloudy appearance should clear from the bottom of the glass upwards. In order to alleviate the problem, run the front garden tap for a few minutes. If the problem doesn't clear then contact us.

Chlorination is an essential part of the process for delivering safe quality water.

You may occasionally notice a chlorine taste or odour in your water. Small amounts of chlorine are added to the water as a disinfectant to destroy any waterborne, disease-causing micro-organisms (such as pathogens and infectious bacteria). This ensures that the water remains safe to drink right up until it reaches your tap.

The taste and odour of chlorine can vary with seasonal water demands and the location of the customer's property in relation to the disinfection plant.

Some customers prefer not to drink water if they can smell chlorine. A way of easily and safely removing chlorine from your water is to fill a jug with water and put it in your fridge (out of direct sunlight). The chlorine will naturally dissipate from the water.

If you have noticed that your water pressure has changed, planned or emergency works in your local area could be the cause. Normal water pressure will be restored when the work is complete.

If your pressure is regularly low there may be other causes.

Under our Customer Charter, most residential properties should have a minimum flow rate of 20 litres per minute. You can check if the problem is occurring on your property by taking the Bucket Test:

• Make sure the stop tap located at your water meter assembly is fully open.

• Using a 5 litre bucket or container, open the tap closest to the water meter and time how long it takes to fill up the bucket;

• If it fills in 15 seconds, this indicates that the water pressure to your property is within our approved service standards. If other taps on your property do not have the same flow, there may be an issue with the plumbing on your property. You may need to engage a plumber to look further into what is causing the problem.