icosawater hand shower

No water/low pressure

We are sorry you are having problems with your water supply. We appreciate that it can be very distressing to have no water or low pressure.

Please read through the common reasons below.

No Water Supply

  • Check other rooms – If it is just one room that doesn’t have water, it’s probably a problem with your internal pipework. You will need to contact a plumber to investigate the cause.
  • Check your stop tap – This is normally located where your water supply enters you home, probably under your kitchen sink or in your down stairs toilet. It needs to be fully open,
  • Check with your neighbours – If they don’t have the same issue, it’s more likely to be a plumbing issue. It’s also possible that they may have turned an external stop tap off without realising it would affect your supply.
  • Have we issued an alert? – Active alerts will show on our home page and across social media.

If you have followed the above steps and you are still having problems with your supply, it may be that there is a problem on the water network that we are unaware of. To report an issue with your water supply please call our emergency number 0330 111 2014.

Planned interruptions

In the event of planned work, we will let you know in advance and tell you when the supply will be restored.

We aim to deliver a constant supply of water, however sometimes events will inevitably interrupt the flow or impact your water supply. We will let you know in advance and tell you when the supply will be restored.

For interruptions of more than 4 hours, we will give you at least 48 hours’ notice in writing. We will restore the supply by the time stated in the notice.

After an emergency or unplanned interruption, we will restore supplies within 12 hours for most bursts or within 48 hours if it is a burst on a strategic main. If necessary, we will give you an alternative supply. We will make arrangements for our Priority Services registered customers.

For further information, please see our Customer Promise

Low Pressure

The pressure of your water is affected by many factors, including:

  • The height of your property in relation to our water main and relevant service reservoir
  • The condition of your private supply pipe
  • If the stop tap is not turned on sufficiently
  • Whether your property shares a supply pipe with any other property
  • Peak demand conditions.

As a result, you may sometimes experience lower pressure.

What is water pressure?

Water pressure is the force of water as it comes out of your tap when it is turned on fully. Ofwat’s has published water pressure guidance which suggests a minimum guaranteed pressure of 7 metres head – which means the pressure necessary to raise water to a height of 7 metres, typically the height of a storage tank in a roof cavity. We aim to supply water at the stop tap on the boundary of your property at a minimum pressure of 9 metres head. This gives a minimum flow from a ground-floor tap of 9 litres per minute.

Checking your water pressure

  • Try your kitchen tap – The main water supply normally enters your home through the cold kitchen tap or sometimes the utility room tap.  If you have water coming out of this tap but no other taps in your home, then unfortunately, the problem is with your internal pipes.
  • Check your stop valves are open- It is important that your stop valve is fully open.  Your stop valve is normally found under your kitchen sink. If the valve is closed, turn it anti-clockwise to make sure that it is fully open. Your outside stop valve also needs to be fully open. Some properties share their water supply with their neighbours so check with your neighbours to see if they have recently used the outside stop valve.  If you are unsure or are having difficulty finding either your outside or inside stop valve, please call us on 0330 111 0780.
  • Check for frozen pipes – The cold weather can freeze your pipes, making them more likely to expand and burst.
  • Check with your neighbour – Where possible, check if your immediate neighbours have the same problem.
    If there is no issue with their supply, the problem is with your internal plumbing. If you live in a block of flats, check with the building maintenance, your local authority, or the managing agent of the building for any known internal issues.
  • Let us Know – If you’ve completed the above steps without success, it may be a problem we are not aware of. Please call us on 0330 111 0780.

Need a plumber?

If you need a plumber, we recommend that you select one which is an eligible member of an Approved Plumber/Contractor Scheme, such as the WaterSafe.

What is WaterSafe?

  • WaterSafe is an online search facility which brings together thousands of qualified contractors employed by plumbing businesses from the 7 existing Approved Contractors’ Schemes across the UK.
  • WaterSafe aims to raise plumbing standards by helping customers find the nearest qualified plumbing and heating professionals.
  • To find out more about WaterSafe or to search for a plumbing business in your area, visit watersafe.org.uk