Frequently asked questions
Why do I have no water?
Our In your area site will tell you if there’s any work, that we are aware of, that could be causing no water.
There could be a few reasons for having no water:
- Emergency work on a burst main
- Planned work where we’ve notified you in advance
- An airlock in your system following work
- An issue with your internal plumbing
- Neighbours carrying out work on a joint supply
If you can't find anything on our In your area site, you may want to check with neighbours to confirm if it is just your supply affected. If the issue is affecting your neighbours, it may be that we’re not aware of a problem on our main supply. Please call our Customer Service helpline on 01202 590059
To check for airlocks, turn your internal stop tap on and off 3 times to release any air whilst the cold kitchen tap is open. You should also check that your external stop tap is open if it is safe to do so.
For issues with internal plumbing there is a list of approved plumbers at WaterSafe.
Why do I have low pressure?
If you’ve noticed sudden low pressure:
There could be a few reasons for this, a burst main for example that is causing a sudden dip in your pressure or flow. You will need to carry out a few checks:
- Check if the low pressure is only affecting your hot water, this would indicate an internal plumbing problem and you’ll need to contact a plumber. Approved plumbers can be found through WaterSafe or on the Water Industry Approved Plumber Scheme WIAPS.
- Turn your internal stop tap on and off 3 times while the cold kitchen tap is open. You should also check that your external stop tap is open.
- Check if your neighbours have the same problem, if not it is likely that it is an internal plumbing problem.
- Have a look at our In your area site to find out if there’s any work causing this.
If it still remains low after carrying out the 4 checks, please call Customer Service on 01202 590059 to report this.
If there’s continuous low pressure:
There are several factors that could mean that your house has a lower pressure and flow rate than at a different house:
- The height of your house in relation to the reservoir
- A smaller or older supply pipe
- A shared supply pipe
- A time of day with higher demand
- Longer internal pipework
Where can I find plans of pipework in my area?
For location of private pipework in your area contact your local District Council or check your house deeds.
If you are a land or property owner you can request an asset plan by emailing Source for Searches.
For solicitors/conveyancers looking for a water and drainage search (CON29DW) can find more information at Source for Searches.
For maps of the location of public sewers, disposal mains, lateral drains and water mains which we are responsible for, please email Asset Enquiries providing the postcode of the property.
My water is discoloured, what do I do?
To clear discoloured water, run the cold tap that is fed directly from the mains (usually your cold kitchen tap) for up to an hour, checking it every 10 minutes to see if it has cleared.
If you are a household customer on a water meter, we can credit your account with a run off allowance.
Ask your neighbours if they have discoloured water, if they do, the problem may be with the main supply, caused by a burst pipe.
If you have tried running your cold tap for over an hour and the water still hasn’t cleared, please call Customer Service on 01202 590059
If the problem is only affecting your supply, we'd recommend you ask a plumber to check your supply pipes and fittings.
There is more information here about discoloured water.
What is the hardness of my water?
Most of our water supply can be classified as ‘moderately hard’ (on a scale of one to ten this would be seven).
For more information on water hardness and test results from customers’ taps in your area, please use this postcode search.
Your water
We all cook with it, clean with it and most importantly drink it – water is a vital part of our everyday lives, and we’re passionate about providing the best quality drinking water to you. To meet the region’s demand, we supply 148.690 mega litres of drinking water every day, operating and maintaining 5 water treatment works and 2,845 kilometres of pipe work.
Your water is treated and checked at every stage of its journey to ensure it’s clean, clear, safe and great tasting. Unfortunately, sometimes you might experience problems. This section of our website offers help and advice for your water quality.