What are the causes of low water pressure and should low water pressure concern me?
Temporary low pressure can be caused by heavy water use in your area lawn watering, a water main break, fighting a nearby fire, and so on. Lower pressure may be the result of the location of your home on a hill or far from the pumping station or home water pipes that are too small, or have a lot of scale in them, leaving little room for the water to flow. This is more common in older homes. Low pressure may be more than just a nuisance. The water system depends on pressure to keep out any contamination. If the pressure drops, the possibility of pollution entering the drinking water increases. You should report any sudden or unusual drop in water pressure to the Williamsport Municipal Water Authority.
Temporary low pressure can be caused by heavy water use in your area-lawn watering, a water main break, fighting a nearby fire, and so on. Permanent low pressure could be caused by the location of your home-on a hill or far from the pumping plant-or your home may be served by pipes that are too small, or the pipes in your home have a lot of scale (see Question 85) in them, leaving little room for the water to flow. This is more common in older homes. Low pressure is more than just a nuisance. The water system depends on pressure to keep out any contamination. If the pressure drops, the possibility of pollution entering the drinking water increases. One of the causes of poor quality water in some developing countries is low pressure in the distribution system that allows contamination to enter the pipes. You should report any permanent drop in water pressure to your water company. Many areas have minimum standards for pressure. For example, 20 pounds per square inch (psi) (140 kilopasca
