Sudden drop in water flow – could it be the street work?
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Has anyone else in the neighbourhood noticed a change in their water flow lately? Ever since the city finished those repairs on the main water line down the street, my kitchen faucet and shower have been incredibly weak. It’s not a total outage, but it’s a significant difference from how it was last week. I checked the main shut-off valve in my basement to make sure it was fully open, and it seems fine. Could some debris from the street work have gotten into my pipes, or is this just a coincidence? I really want to get back to my high-pressure showers!
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It’s very likely that some sediment or air got trapped in your lines when they turned the water back on. That happened to us a few years ago after a water main break. Before you call the city to complain, you might want to do a little bit of your own investigating. There are actually several internal factors that can cause low water pressure https://superiorplumbing.ca/plumbing-tips/top-reasons-for-low-water-pressure-in-your-home-how-to-fix-them/ and this guide explains them perfectly. It covers everything from clogged aerators to issues with your pressure-reducing valve. I followed the tips in that article and found out that my faucet aerators were just packed with tiny pebbles from the city's pipe work. A quick cleaning fixed everything! Definitely give that link a read before you spend money on a service call.
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I didn't even think about the aerators catching debris! I'll go through that checklist tonight and see if I can clear it out myself. That resource looks super helpful, thanks for sharing!
