Pressure management is a common practice in most countries. This approach reduces maintenance costs, increases asset life span, and reduces household water wastage. On average, households will experience a 23% pressure reduction through the pilot project.
It will help keep water pressure in high-pressure zones at the minimum required service level to ensure safety and satisfaction.
This pilot project will allow our City Waters team to reduce pressure on the pipes resulting in fewer water main breaks and leaks in the future, while naturally lowering regular use.
Who is affected by the pilot project?
Households on and around the Westmorland Rise area in Bethlehem, will be the first of the localised areas identified through a study done by our City Waters team to be a part of the pressure management pilot.
With approximately 380 individual connections in the area, studies indicate that, on average, a 23% pressure reduction is possible without compromising the city’s guaranteed minimum service levels. The current average pressure in the identified Westmorland Rise pressure management area is 65m, and after reduction, this will fall to approximately 50m.
It is not expected that the reduction in pressure will negatively affect any home appliances, such as dishwashers or washing machines. However, some may notice that pressure in irrigation systems like garden hoses may have reduced reach and experience reduced pressure in the shower.
Affected streets:
- Westmorland Rise,
- Ngatere Rise
- Athelstan Way
- Anfield Drive
- Harbelle Close
- Raukawa Drive
- Chater Avenue
- Harkin Close
- Rochdale Close
- Redhaven Close
- Hansard Place
- Hawkridge heights
- Mayfield Lane
- Windover Rise
But it’s my water, I pay for it.
All customers affected by the project will still meet Tauranga City Council’s minimum level of service, which is more than sufficient for residential activities (good shower pressure, whiteware appliances, hose taps, etc.). Due to decreased pressure resulting in less water wastage, households will incur lower-cost water bills.
Assume a household (2.3 users per household as per city average) users 250L per person per day. By reducing the water pressure by 23% (on average) without changing any other behaviours in the household, we are calculating that households will save up to $89 per year on their water bill.
Why are we doing this?
Faults in Tauranga’s water networks put considerable pressure on the ratepayers. Breaks on pipework and leaks on fittings in the network cause considerable disruption and cost the ratepayer both directly and indirectly. A portion of these leaks and breaks are from aging pipes and potentially unnecessary high water pressure in the network. While infrastructure programmes focused on renewal of the water mains/fitting reduce the likelihood of faults, pressure management is another avenue that Tauranga City Council’s City Waters division is exploring to minimise faults occurring and, therefore, costs to the customer.
Our water reservoirs, which supply the majority of our customers, are located at the highest points in the city to best supply pressure to our customers. However, in low-lying areas, this can result in concentrated high-pressure zones, which reduce the life span of water mains and increase the chance of pipe failure, resulting in leaks. Pressure management is a common practice in most countries since the approach allows for a reduction in maintenance costs, increases asset life span, and reduces water wastage in households.
In the future, it is expected that pressure management approaches will allow for the creation of a resilient water distribution network emphasised on lowering long-term costs and reducing excess water wastage in Tauranga.
If the pilot programme is successful, this approach will be adopted and practised city-wide, with the long-term goal of reducing maintenance costs in the water delivery network and improving the lifespan of our existing assets.