19/08/2026
When you aren't receiving as much water as you have historically, and the pumps are running more hours, thinking there is a leak would seem a reasonable assumption. However, there are other, simpler explanations which need looking at, and eliminating first.
A working / accurate gauge is always useful to confirm pump working pressures.
The suction strainer / non-return valve needed inspection. This was badly worn, and not seating correctly, which could be restricting flow, so was replaced.
And life being life, the working meter on which I replaced the brass tails a couple of months ago, for being split and leaking, was now only clocking intermittently 😏, so needed replacing for accurately quantifying pumped volume, and to satisfy EA requirements. The meters at each end are now reading similarly, suggesting no losses between them.
Both pumps are performing similarly, at 1360 litre / hr and 1320 litres / hr, with 8825 hrs and 15506 hrs running respectively. They should really be closer to 2000 litres / hr at their working pressure, according to the performance curve, so age may be a factor.
The prolonged dry weather has highlighted the deficiency, which will need more work, but a longer term plan may be required. The pipe line is only a single 25mm bore pipe, and approximately 3/4 of a mile long, so there are limits on the volume that can be moved.
Must stay reasonably slender and reasonably agile to get in these chambers, work, and get out again. 😁
🛠️⚡💦💩🤠
