Low Water Pressure in Your Orange Home

Common Causes of Low Water Pressure

Pressure-limiting valve (PLV) failure — the PLV at your meter connection regulates supply pressure to a safe level. When it fails, it usually restricts pressure below normal rather than losing control. This is a common and straightforward fix.

Blocked inline filter — many properties have an inline strainer or filter after the meter. Over time, sediment and debris accumulate and restrict flow. We check and clean these as part of any low-pressure investigation.

Partially closed isolation valve — somewhere in the supply line, a valve that should be fully open is only partially open. Common after recent plumbing work where a valve wasn't fully reopened.

Corrosion inside galvanised pipes — older galvanised steel pipes corrode from the inside, progressively reducing internal diameter. This is common in Bowen and Calare properties with original water supply lines.

Diagnosing Your Pressure Problem

First check: is the low pressure at every tap in the house, or just one? Low pressure at a single tap is usually a blocked aerator (unscrew the tap spout and clean the mesh aerator — a 2-minute job). Low pressure at all taps suggests a supply-side problem.

Second check: what's the pressure at the meter? We can measure this with a gauge on the hose tap connection. Supply pressure in Orange from the water network should be 200–500kPa. If it's below 150kPa, the problem is upstream of your property.