water pressure Archives - Whywait Plumbing Services

Water Pressure Gold Coast: Low & High Pressure Made Clear

by Gary Mays | Feb 1, 2026 | water pressure

Water Pressure Gold Coast: Low & High Pressure Explained

Not sure if your water pressure is “normal”? Let’s be honest. Most people guess. Then they stress. Then they leave it… until something leaks.

Water pressure issues on the Gold Coast are common. They can change street to street, and it’s not always your imagination.

This guide explains it simply. No jargon. No waffle. (Well… not much.)

Quick answer: What is water pressure?

Water pressure is the force pushing water through your pipes. It’s measured in kPa (kilopascals).

Pressure is not the same as flow. Flow is the amount of water that comes out over time.

You can have “okay pressure” and still have poor flow. That’s usually restrictions, valves, or pipe sizing.

Why does water pressure vary so much on the Gold Coast

The Gold Coast has hills, canals, towers, old suburbs, and new estates. It’s a mixed bag. Beautiful, yes. Consistent pressure? Not always. Common causes include:

❌ Your home sits higher than nearby streets

❌ You’re further from key supply points.

❌ The long pipe runs inside the home.

❌ Too many bends and fittings

❌ Partly blocked filters, aerators, or mixers

❌ Old, corroded, or undersized pipes

So your neighbour’s shower isn’t proof of anything. Annoying, but true.

Static pressure vs flowing pressure

Static pressure is measured when no water is running. Flowing pressure is measured while taps and showers are on.

Most complaints are about flowing pressure because friction and restrictions show up then.

If the shower collapses when someone turns on a tap, that’s a clue. It usually means flow losses, not just “bad luck”.

Low water pressure Gold Coast: signs you'll notice

Low pressure feels like a daily grind. It’s the little things. Then it becomes the big things. Look for:

❌ Weak shower spray

❌ Slow toilet refill

❌ The washing machine is taking ages to fill.

❌ Significant drop when another tap turns on

If you’re planning showers like military operations, something’s off. You shouldn’t have to time your life around plumbing.

High water pressure Gold Coast: why it's risky

High pressure can feel amazing at the tap. Then it quietly wrecks gear behind walls. That’s the scary part. Watch for:

❌ Banging pipes (water hammer)

❌ Dripping taps that keep returning

❌ Leaks at fittings or flexi hoses

❌ The hot water relief valve is discharging often.

❌ Sudden appliance failures

High pressure is like driving with your foot flat on the pedal. Fast… until something snaps.

Elevation and gravity: why lower homes often get higher pressure

Gravity is the simplest part of the whole puzzle. Water wants to move downhill.

Homes lower down often see higher pressure. Homes higher up often see lower pressure.

That’s why elevation matters so much on the Gold Coast. A small hill can change everything. (And yes, that’s why your street feels cursed sometimes.)

Pressure limits in AS/NZS 3500.1 (plain English)

AS/NZS 3500.1 is the key standard used for water services design. In simple terms, it points to:

✅ A minimum of 50 kPa at the most disadvantaged outlet (so things can operate).

✅ A maximum static pressure of 500 kPa at outlets (to reduce damage risk).

If pressure is outside those limits, problems become more likely. Leaks. Noise. Shorter appliance life. All the fun stuff.

Legal requirement: You must maintain pressure controls

This matters more than people realise. If your home was built with equipment like:

✅ booster pumps

✅ pressure reduction valves (PRVs)

✅ pressure limiting valves (PLVs)

✅ other pressure control devices

…you can’t “set and forget” them forever.

What the law expects (simple version)

Under the Plumbing and Drainage Act 2018 (Qld), owners must take reasonable steps to ensure plumbing and drainage are kept in good condition and operate correctly.

So yes, maintenance is part of the deal, not just when something explodes. Before.

What does “correct pressure” mean in real life

These devices should keep pressure within the standard’s limits.That means:

✅ Not exceeding 500 kPa static at outlets, where required.

✅ Still achieving at least 50 kPa at the most disadvantaged outlet.

So the goal is not “500 kPa everywhere”. The goal is safe, functional pressure throughout the home.

If a PRV fails, pressure can creep up. If a pump fails, pressure can drop. Either way, it’s trouble.

What we test during a water pressure check

A proper test removes the guessing. It also stops money from being burned on random “fixes”. We usually check:

✅ Static pressure at key outlets

✅ Flowing pressure under realistic demand

✅ Restrictions (filters, valves, strainers, mixers)

✅ Signs of water hammer risk

✅ Whether a pressure-limiting valve is needed

✅ Whether pipe sizing or layout is a likely cause

Then we explain it clearly. So you can make a wise decision based on real facts, fast.

What fixes low or high pressure (standard solutions)

Common fixes for low pressure

✅ Clean or replace aerators and shower heads

✅ Clear inlet filters on mixers

✅ Replace restrictive valves or failing cartridges.

✅ Correct undersized pipe runs.

✅ Consider a booster pump if the supply pressure is genuinely low.

Common fixes for high pressure

✅ Install or replace a pressure-limiting valve.

✅ Add water hammer control where needed.

✅ Correct faulty regulators or tempering issues

✅ Check appliance hoses and isolation valves.

Sometimes the fix is tiny. Sometimes it’s a bigger job. We’ll tell you which one it is.

Quick Water Pressure Gold Coast FAQ's

❓What is the normal water pressure on the Gold Coast?

Normal varies by elevation, distance to supply, and pipework design. A pressure test confirms what you actually have. Council provide a minimum pressure of 220 kPa in the City’s water mains. This pressure is at the point of connection to each property that is serviced by the City’s water supply network.

❓ Why is my shower weak, but the kitchen tap seems fine?

Showers are often further away and more affected by restrictions. Flowing pressure drops through small pipes, bends, and valves.

❓ What causes water hammer (banging pipes)?

Water hammer is a pressure surge when water stops suddenly. High pressure and fast-closing tapware can trigger it.

❓ Can high water pressure damage appliances?

Yes. It can stress hoses, valves, and appliance internals. It can also increase leak risk.

❓Do I need a pressure limiting valve?

Maybe. It depends on your measured static pressure and setup. We test it, then recommend the right option.

❓What rules apply to plumbing work in Queensland?

AS/NZS 3500.1 sets performance expectations for water services, including pressure limits.
Queensland plumbing obligations also sit within the Plumbing and Drainage Act 2018 (Qld) framework, including the requirement to maintain installed systems so they continue to operate correctly.

Understanding Water Pipe Pressure: How it Works and Why it Matters

by Gary Mays | Dec 27, 2022 | water pressure

What are the legally required water pressure requirements?

Water pressure within a commercial or residential building is from a consumer viewpoint based on perception rather than reality. According to AS/NZS 3500.1:2021 Water Services in section 3.3 Pressure Requirements, the water pressure should be between 50kPa and 500kPa at the furthermost or most disadvantaged fixture or outlet within a building, with the ideal pressure at outlets being at least 150kPa.

In simple terms, water pressure measures the force required to move water through the pipework and to the fixture outlet and maintain a residual force in the pipework to ensure water is immediately available when needed. When the pressure falls below 150kPa, taps, valves, plumbing fixtures, and appliances may fail to operate correctly. In such cases, a means to increase the pressure, such as pumping, must be provided.

However, excessive pressure beyond the limits specified in AS/NZS 3500.1:2021 can also cause issues. include;

Water wastage with excess water going into the drain.
Noisy pipes, taps and valves.
Water hammer.
Potential for leakage from valves and fixtures such as toilet cisterns.
Failure of pipe joints and valves.
Taps, valves, fixtures, and appliances have a shortened life cycle.
Increased plumbing maintenance costs.

To counter this, pressure-limiting or pressure-reducing valves should be installed when the residual pressure at outlets exceeds the specified or required limits. Additionally, it’s worth noting that the warranties of some appliances or fixture outlet devices may be voided if excessive pressure is evident.

The difference between static and flow pressure

Another important aspect is the difference between static and flow pressure. Static pressure is the pressure exerted by the water on the walls of the pipe, fittings or valves when no water is flowing.

In contrast, flow pressure is the pressure that exists at any point in the system when water is flowing at that point. So in a horizontal pipe, no matter where you measure the static pressure in the pipeline at a tap, you would have the same pressure reading.

For a single-story residential home, if the pressure is 500kPa where the pipe enters the house, it would also be 500kPa at the rear hose tap of the house. The static pressure will reduce as soon as that hose tap is turned on.

What is flow pressure?

Flow pressure exists at any point in the system when water is flowing at that point when a tap or fixture is turned on. Once the water starts to flow, the water moving through the pipe uses some energy to push past the pipe surface, bends, tees and valves no matter how smooth the internal piping system is.

This movement consumes energy and reduces the pressure to push the water out of the end of the tap. This pressure loss is due to friction occurring at every point along the pipeline. When water starts to flow through a pipe, the pressure is highest at the source and decreases every metre along that pipe. Therefore, the pressure would be lowest at the most distant tap or fixture.

How is water pipe pressure created?

Water pressure can be created in two ways: through gravity pressure, generated at water outlets that are lower than a water reservoir and through pumped (boost) pressure created by the force of a pump, which draws in water from a source and discharges it at a higher pressure from the outlet of the pump.

water pipe pressure maintained by Whywait Plumbing

What is gravity water pressure?

All over the Gold Coast, we have reservoirs at elevated locations. The water is distributed from these reservoirs through a network of piping known as a gravity water mains system.

Pressure varies at different locations along the distribution water main depending on the distance from the reservoir and the elevation of the home from that reservoir which is illustrated in Fig 1.

Homes located at low elevation areas receive the highest pressure. Alternately homes located at the highest elevation receive much lower pressure.

The horizontal distance from the reservoir is the other factor that will considerably influence the gravity of the pressure received at each individual home.

With the Gold Coast gravity water mains system the greater the distance from the reservoir that your home is the lower the pressure you will receive. This pressure reduction is due to frictional loss within the pipework compared to the homes closer to the reservoir.

What is pumped water pressure?

In all buildings where the pressure is inadequate for the water service functions required within the building, a pressure booster pump has to be installed to add pressure to the available water mains pressure. This is necessary to overcome the vertical height of the building and the frictional resistance or loss within the pipes, fittings or valves, as well as to supply the required pressure at the tap or fixture outlet.

For pressure requirements at taps and fixtures, it is initially the responsibility of the hydraulic engineer and the plumber to design and install the necessary water flow and pressure in the building during construction to satisfy the function and operation of all of the taps, fixtures and appliances. Ideally, the plumber would aim for at least 250 to 400 kPa at the taps and fixtures.

Why is head pressure important for water pressure?

Head pressure is critical to ensuring adequate water in every building, especially in high-rise buildings.

In pump systems, the water pressure head is measured in metres meaning that every 1-metre increase in height (1-metre head) requires 9.81kPa to lift the water up 1 metre. It is precisely the same for gravity systems, so for every 1 metre below the reservoir, gravity provides 9.81 kPa water pressure. To keep it simple, use the rule of thumb, which is 1-metre head equals 10 kPa.

If you want to put this into perspective, the tallest building currently on the Gold Coast is the Q1 Building which has 77 floors and is 322.5 meters high, so to pump water from the bottom of the building to the top requires 3164 kPa pressure. As you can see in Fig 2 below, an example of how high-rise buildings are supplied with water to the very top. With the height difference of each floor, pressure-reduction valves are required at each floor level to balance the pressure delivery at the taps and fixtures.

Water pressure for taps and fixtures is an important consideration

When constructing a new building, the hydraulic engineer and the plumber must provide the entire building water flow and pressure at the taps, fixtures and appliances to ensure their function and operation per each manufacturer’s requirements.

Achieving the correct pressure is crucial to the operation of any building. Almost every building, whether a residential home or a high-rise building, will have water pressure controls, pressure limiting, and pressure reducing valves to ensure pipe pressure does not exceed 500 kPa and each tap, fixture or appliance performs to the manufacturer’s specifications.

If the pressure is too low, this will inconvenience and impact the occupants in multiple areas, such as the washing machine, garden hose taps, bath filling, toilet cistern filling and low-pressure showers.

Conversely, if the pressure is too high, as we have already discussed above, the results can be disastrous and result in water wastage with excess water going into the drain, noisy pipes, taps and valves, water hammer, the potential for leakage from valves and fixtures such as toilet cisterns, the failure of pipe joints and valves, taps, valves, fixtures, and appliances having a shortened operational life cycle expectancy and increased plumbing maintenance costs.

The issues with pressure loss

In all new buildings, as we have already discussed pressure head is crucial when selecting and sizing the water pipe services. The pipes, valves and fittings’ head loss or pressure loss are equally important as the supply pressure entering the building.

Excessive pressure losses in the water piping can be caused by selecting incorrect pipe sizes and valves with high frictional loss. This may cause more significant overall frictional head loss within the water supply piping system. In many Gold Coast residential homes, this is a major issue with poor pressure, especially in showers, as the plumber has only used 12mm piping instead of 20mm, which as we now know, creates significant pressure reduction due to frictional resistance.

Your water pressure needs monitoring

In conclusion, proper pressure is essential for all taps, plumbing fixtures and appliances.

At Whywait Plumbing, we strive to provide our clients with the necessary solutions and services to ensure that their pressure is within the ideal range as per AS/NZS 3500.1:2021. We understand the importance of proper water pressure and the potential risks associated with inadequate or excessive pressure.

You need to maintain your plumbing systems, such as pumps and pressure reduction valves installed at the time of construction, to ensure they continue to function correctly and provide you with the correct pressure of 500 kPa.

If you have any concerns about your water pressure, don’t hesitate to contact us for professional advice and solutions.