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South East Water has undertaken an extensive analysis of its water supply pressures across our service region.

Water pressure is a term used to describe the force at which water flows through a pipe network. Water pressures within a network vary due to a number of factors, including the number of customers using water at the same time.

Water pressure is typically at its highest over night, when water usage is at its lowest as most people are asleep in bed, it is typically at its lowest on a hot summer’s day, when most people are using water for activities like watering their gardens or having a shower. 

As a result of our analysis, a number of areas within our service region have been identified as receiving excessive water pressure. In some instances, water pressure has been found to be greater than 100 metres, which is well above the optimum level of 50-60 metres. This means that if a pipe were to burst, water could potentially shoot up into the air to a distance of 100 metres or more.

As part of the Pressure Management Program, South East Water will reduce water pressure in selected regions to a more desirable level.

Excessive water pressures can lead to a number of issues due to the additional strain on both network and customer assets, such as:

  • Increased leakage of network mains (i.e. at pinhole leaks in the pipe or old leaky pipe joints etc.)
  • Increased number of water main bursts
  • Increased leakage within customers’ properties (i.e. at leaking taps or pipes)

Most customers located in one of the proposed Pressure Management Areas are expected to notice little, if not any change in their water supply pressure. However pressure reduction may have an adverse impact on the performance and compliance of some specialised systems, such as fire protection systems and commercial irrigation systems. Customers with specialised systems should contact South East Water on 1800 720 613 for further information.