Are you experiencing low water pressure, weak flow at your cold kitchen tap or showers? This is a common issue that impacts many properties across the city, especially older homes or those with shared supply pipes.
Low water pressure turns simple tasks into daily frustrations, slow to fill at the kitchen sink, appliances like the washing machine struggling to run properly, and weak showers that never deliver a strong, consistent flow. Left unresolved, these issues impact comfort, waste time, and reduce the overall performance of your home’s plumbing system.
At London & Surrey Water Services, we specialise in fixing low water pressure problems, ensuring reliable water flow throughout your home. Our team has extensive experience handling issues with shared or lead supply pipes, undersized internal pipework, internal plumbing faults, or faulty stop taps.
From upgrading undersized water pipes and replacing lead supply lines to pinpoint leak detection and full system improvements, our experienced plumbers identify exactly where the problem lies. We focus on restoring strong, consistent water pressure and flow to every tap, shower, and appliance, so your home runs the way it should.
It’s important to distinguish between low water pressure and reduced water flow, as these terms describe two different problems within your plumbing system:
Refers to the force that pushes water through your pipes—when pressure is too low, you’ll notice weak flow at taps, poor shower performance, and reduced delivery across fixtures throughout the property.
Water pressure is typically measured in bars, and as a guide, one bar provides enough force to push water to a height of around 10 metres.
Thames Water is required to supply a minimum pressure of 1 bar at the property boundary, which is generally sufficient to fill a cold water storage tank in the loft of a typical two-storey home
Refers to the volume of water delivered through your taps over time, typically measured in litres per minute (L/min).
Flow rates are largely determined by the size and condition of your pipework. If any section is undersized, it restricts how much water can pass through.
When flow is restricted, you’ll notice a drop when more than one outlet is in use. For example, running a shower while flushing a toilet can cause the shower to drop to a trickle, as the pipework cannot deliver enough water to both at the same time.
Understanding these distinctions allows us to accurately diagnose and resolve the issues affecting your home’s plumbing system.
We are always happy to provide advice and a free estimate without obligation
Take advantage of our limited-time offer and save 10% on all lead pipe replacement works.
This discount applies to full supply-pipe renewals carried out by our approved moling specialists.
Not sure whether your property has lead pipes or elevated lead levels in your water? We offer a free lead content test to help you assess your risk before committing to replacement works.
We offer a full range of internal plumbing and supply pipe services including fault diagnosis, repair, replacement and new installations
If you’re experiencing low water pressure or poor flow, contact our team today for expert testing and a clear, reliable solution.
We adopt a best practice approach to the work we carry out and ensure compliance with the Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations 1999
Our team has extensive experience carrying out plumbing works related to the mains water supply, including supply pipe installations, leak detection, and pipe upgrades across Greater London and Surrey.
On completion of lead pipe renewals or a water supply pipe upgrade, we issue a certificate of works completed, which can be submitted to Thames Water to progress applications or satisfy enforcement notices.
All work carried out by London & Surrey Water Services is backed by a workmanship guarantee, giving property owners confidence that installations and repairs are completed to a high professional standard.
We are trusted by homeowners across London and Surrey for reliable supply pipe works and specialist plumbing
I would highly recommend Alan. I wish we had found him earlier because it would have saved us both time and money. We had a water leak at our house which could not be located. I contacted other “experts” in underground water problems before finding Alan, none of them could offer a convincing solution. Alan is an expert in this area and articulated very clearly the alternative solutions and the pros and cons of each. Alan is very professional, hard working and tidy - you would not be able to tell that concrete and flagstones were removed to do the work. A truely excellent job.
We had a severe water leak that was flooding the basement of our house. Alan and Grant dealt with this emergency straight away. The organisation for our job was efficient, and we were kept informed at all points in the process. The repair was complex. It required moling through the basement exterior wall and installing a new connection to our internal supply. Alan carried this difficult task out efficiently and quickly, causing the least disruption possible, and it was a pleasure to deal with both him and Grant. Their price for the work was very reasonable. highly recommend!
Alan went above and beyond when installing my new water mains. He was prompt, professional, communicative, and really helpful, taking time after the job was done to offer advice on getting the best out of the new supply. I am amazed at how quickly he could get the job done and left the house so clean afterwards you would never have known he was there. The fact he is Thames Water approved was also a huge bonus and made the whole process much quicker and easier. I can't recommend him highly enough and would 100% use London & Surrey Water Services again.
Clear answers to common low water pressure problems, helping you understand the cause and the right solution for your property.
A sudden drop is often caused by a leak or burst pipe, a partially closed internal stop tap, or an issue on the mains. Check if neighbours are affected, if so, it’s likely the water supplier or network.
Water companies must meet minimum standards at the boundary, but they don’t usually increase pressure beyond that. If only your property is affected, the issue is typically internal pipework or your supply pipe rather than the main water supply.
Pressure is measured in bars or pounds per square inch. As a guide, 1 bar ≈ 10 metres head. Thames Water must supply at least 0.7 bar at the boundary stop valve, which should fill a loft tank in a typical two‑storey home.
Use a simple pressure gauge on an outdoor tap or the kitchen tap. As an example, testing at the cold water tap during peak morning demand can highlight pressure changes.
That’s usually a flow limitation. Undersized pipes can’t carry enough water to multiple outlets, so running a shower and another tap (or flushing a toilet) can reduce the shower to a trickle.
Yes. Trapped air or a partially closed internal stop valve can restrict flow. Ensure all valves are fully open before calling a plumber.
In London, it’s usually undersized or ageing pipework (often legacy lead), shared supply pipes, or internal restrictions rather than the mains supply.
Yes—around 30 psi (~2 bar) is on the low side for modern homes, especially for showers and appliances.
Yes. Our team comprises fully qualified engineers and plumbers trained in the latest trenchless technology. We follow all relevant industry standards and regulations.
Not always, but a sudden drop at the cold kitchen tap can indicate a leak. Check your meter overnight for movement and look for damp patches or noise.
Yes. Frozen pipes restrict or block flow, causing a sudden drop in pressure. Once thawed, performance may return, but the pipe should be checked for damage.
A gradual loss is often due to limescale build‑up on the inlet control valve. This restricts incoming water, reducing hot water flow at showers. Cleaning or replacing the valve restores performance.
Combi boilers depend on the mains supply. If the flow is poor, there’s usually a restriction (undersized or corroded pipes, filters, or scale) even if the pressure appears normal.
Try simple steps: ensure the stop tap is fully open, clean tap aerators/shower heads, and check for obvious leaks. If issues persist, professional testing is recommended.
If the issue is only in your property, yes. An experienced plumber can test at the water meter, boundary, and internal points to find where the problem lies.
We diagnose at the boundary and internally, locate restrictions, and deliver permanent fixes—from pipe upgrades to dedicated supplies—restoring strong, reliable flow. If you need more help, our team is ready to assist.
