Water Pressure Booster Pumps for High Rise Flats

Occupants of medium and high rise properties will have to remedy problems associated with low or non existent water pressure.

With the planned reduction in water pressure to minimum permissable levels in various urban areas in order to reduce levels of leakage. Many people living above the 3rd or 4th floor could be faced with serious problems in getting adequate water pressure!

Our Service

Waterlink has major experience installing booster pumps into medium and high rise blocks of flats.

We are able to provide a turnkey solution and can take into account all drinking water supply regulations, including considerations of legionella in water storage tanks!

Waterlink are able to provide an appropriate and cost effective solution to both larger customers such as management agencies, councils and businesses through to private domestic customers who will be effected by these pressure reductions.

Our systems are normally tankless though can be supplied with a potable water back-up tank to regulate flow in the event that the mains flow is not able to keep up with the building's instantanious requirements.

We will of course also take into consideration any existing water tank requirements for such as fire sprinkler systems.

see a case study example of our work

The Problem with water pressure

Lift pump for tower blocks

High pressure lift pumps recently fitted to a series of Tower blocks in Portsmouth.

The reduction of water pressure that has been planned for various urban areas will mean that many high rise properties will no longer get mains water above the 3rd floor by way of mains water pressure.

The recognised minimum water pressure that a water company must supply water to the consumers stop tap is approximately 1bar, (that is enough pressure to supply water up to 10 metres height from the stop tap in the street, The minimum flow rate is 10 litres per minute.

Water companies have their own targets, this is usually in the region 1.5 to 2 bar or 15 to 20 metres of head or higher. This provides customers with a water pressure that enables such as combi boilers and other devices that require a certain water pressure to function. As the water pressure drops below 1 bar many pressurised devices will not work.

When calculating the amount of pressure required, the height and initial pressure must be considered. The average storey in a house or block of flats is in the order of 2.5 metres. Thus with a two storey house with a header tank in the roof, the ball valve will receive whatever the head of water is at the main stop tap less about 6 metres of head(.6bar).

In the case of say a three storey block of flats being supplied water at 1 bar, the kitchen taps in each flat will run at about .9, .65 and .4 respectively as we go up. With the lower pressure in the upper flats a combi boiler would be inadvisable and normal mains pressured showers will be disappointing.

For a 4 storey block of flats, it is unlikley that the 4th storey and above will receive any water with a mains pressure of 1bar. It should also be noted that the pressure at the mains stop tap will vary during the day. Lower pressures in the morning when everybody wants a shower or bath - much the same time you want a shower or bath!

Other Considerations

With high rise accomodation there are a number of ways that might be considered appropriate in providing water to the upper storeys. All must of course take into account pressure differences between the floors, in particular with tower blocks.

One solution is to provide header tanks which are located at the top of the building, these are filled by pump that is controlled automatically based on the level of the water in the tank. Effectively the same as a ball valve on a domestic hot water header tank.

Water is supplied from these tanks by way of PRV (Pressure Reducing Valves) to ensure the flats on various levels get an optimum water pressure. Tell me more

The problem with tanked water storage:

Legionella

Precautions must be taken against legionella infection. This is relatively straightforward but where a service is being provided would normally require a skilled professional involvement. See: Information for owners and managers of hotels and other accommodation sites: minimising the risk from the "The European Working Group for Legionella Infections" website.

Space Requirements

Water tanks take up a considerable amount of space and must be maintained, not just for health and safety, but also for structural and leakage considerations.

Where a property that has previously not had mains water pressure problems on its upper floors, the installation of water tanks might well be impossible.

Useful links

Londoners face £1bn water pressure bill (This is London)

Sustainingtowers - Water  Web site looking at sustainable tower block accomodation.

Residents pour cold water on efficiency drive (Enfield Independent)