Forwarded from Woodland Hills City <noreply@everbridge.net> Subject: Water Pressure Report Date: Mon, 26 Jul 2021 15:23:36 +0000 (UTC) https://documentcloud.adobe.com/link/review?uri=urn:aaid:scds:US:fb20093a-8f... Information on water pressure within the city. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- [FYI: I find this article to be misleading and unhelpful. Hilarie Orman] https://documentcloud.adobe.com/link/review?uri=urn:aaid:scds:US:fb20093a-8f... NOTE: Opinions and information published by the Transparency perspective of the Transparency Committee Committee are not official City positions. They represent the , and of the person(s) quoted or interviewed. While we strive to publish the most accurate information possible, plans and decisions can change quickly as new information is acted upon by City officials. Accordingly, the following information is accurate a s of the date of publication, but beyond that time some details may become outdated. What���s going on with our water pressure? What are residents experiencing? Hillside developments are known for water pressure issues, and Woodland Hills is no exception. Ideally, a city should deliver water pressure between 40 and 80 psi. However, some of our residents' pressure has been significantly higher or lower than this, and lately the issues seem to have escalated. What are the resulting problems? Residents with low pressure report insufficient water for showers and sprinkling systems. Residents with high pressure have reported banging in their pipes, and damage to water heaters and other appliances. What can cause water pressure issues? City Water System Adjustments Widespread failures in our city water pipe system required us to begin upgrades in several places. In the meantime, our public works crew turned down the water pressure to relieve stress on the system and prevent more leaks. As repairs have allowed, the pressure has been readjusted. These fluctuations could interact with some of the factors below to cause water pressure issues in your home. Hilly Terrain In most cities, water pressure will be determined by the difference in elevation between the city water tank and your ho me. That way, gravity can do the work of distributing water and creating water pressure. But what happens in a city like Woodland Hills, which can have big fluctuations in elevation from home to home? Low lying homes are prone to high water pressure problems. At the same time, higher elevation homes can have low pressure problems. Pressure generally increases a half pound for each vertical foot of elevation. In Woodland Hills, this can mean a significant pressure change even between your home and your water meter. Your Pressure Reducing Valve (PRV) Because of elevation problems, residences in Woodland Hills require a PRV. This valve changes your water pressure to the right level as it enters your home. But PRV's are adjustable, and since the city has made pressure adjustments in connection with our pipe repairs, your PRV may require readjustment as well. Residential PRV's will also experience wear and fail over time. According to Google, their average life is 3-5 years. New PRV's in Our Upgraded Water System The city water system also contains industrial PRV's to compensate for elevation changes along the roads where pipes are run. The system upgrade includes these valves at intervals through the city. They have been adjusted, but not fine-tuned - a process that could continue for a couple of years. In the meantime, the operation of these valves may affect your water pressure. Plumbing Problems Clogs and obstructions - such as tree roots or mineral build-up - can reduce water pressure in your pipes. Changes in Daily or Seasonal Water Use During peak use periods, your water pressure may drop. City Development New homes receive their water from the same system as the old ones, so it only makes sense that water pressure could drop when more homes are added to the existing system. What can the city do to relieve water pressure problems? It's natural to look to the city for the solution to a problem we feel like we did nothing to cause. Unfortunately, the city can't adjust water pressure individually from home to home. And until the new PRV's in our upgraded water system are fully adjusted, we can expect some issues. What can individual residents do? If you're having water pressure problems, here are some things you might try: Excessive Water Pressure First, you may want to get a water pressure gauge ($10.00 on Amazon). You can attach it easily to the hose bib on your garden spigot or water heater to verify your exact pressure. Although by code it shouldn't be over 80 psi, plumbers report many homes have up to 95 psi for years with few if any ill effects. If your water pressure is too high to live with, contact a plumber. Your PRV may need adjustment or replacement. Or maybe a heavier duty PRV could handle the pressure better. Insufficient Water Pressure or Flow First, try some investigating on your own. If only some faucets have low flow, you have a plumbing issue at those faucets (perhaps something as simple as clogged aerator screens). If only the hot water has low flow, examine your water heater for leaks or other failures. If all faucets and spigots have low flow, contact a plumber to check your PRV for adjustment or replacement. Some homes always receive lower pressure due to their location and elevation. If your problem is chronic or recurring, you may want to install a booster pump to increase pressure. Water pressure problems: One resident's story To illustrate the complexity of our city's water pressure issues, I'd like to share my own experience. (I usually avoid personal opinions or examples in these reports, but I think this one may give some insight.) We live at a low elevation low point - at the bottom of West Loafer Drive. For several years we have had very high water pressure and hammering in our pipes. (At the same time, our next neighbor up the road has struggled with very low water pressure.) Oddly, we never heard hammering when we ran the water in the house. It only happened when outdoor watering stations turned on. Finally last summer we called a plumber. He didn't want to deal with outdoor water, so he referred us to our landscaper. He dug up our yard to expose the pipes and installed a separate PRV. But the hammering continued, so he installed another box with an anti-hammering valve. When we still had hammering, he consulted a colleague at an engineering firm, and installed a third box with a master control valve to reduce flow. That stopped the hammering in 9 of our 13 watering stations, and we're calling that good for now. It cost a week of work and nearly $3000. The engineers tell us that when the next home is built downhill from us, they will inherit the problem and ours will stop. What can we conclude from all this? Perhaps only that hillside developments pose complex and multi-faceted water pressure problems. Sometimes there are easy fixes, and sometimes not. Although the city can make some water pressure adjustments, as residents we each have the most control over our individual situations. If you would like more information on water pressure issues, the web sites below were used as reference sources for this report. They are just a few of many you can find doing an internet search: https://www.portland.gov/water/report-water-quality-issues/water-pressure-an... https://www.seattletimes.com/life/lifestyle/high-water-pressure-can-be-a-pro... https://www.lindstromair.com/articles/water-pressure-high/ https://www.provplumbing.com/article/high-water-pressure-it-might-be-a-probl... https://www.zurn.com/media-library/web_documents/pdfs/catalogs/zmktg480-45-p... https://www.expresssewer.com/blog/how-does-water-pressure-flow-work This report was authored by Glenn Anderson for the Woodland Hills Transparency Committee.