After over two years of construction, Provo City is putting the new Westside Pressure Zone online as part of our water distribution system. While most residents won’t notice any change in water service, information is provided below to explain why Provo has made these upgrades and keep residents in the know.
When – Monday, April 9, 2018
Who/Where – The new Westside Pressure Zone is generally located west and south of the railroad tracks as shown on the map.
What – Two new concrete water storage tanks (10 Million Gallons total), associated transmission lines and pressure reducing valves that will create the new pressure zone.
Why – Historically, the west side of Provo has been serviced as part of the city’s Main Zone. In the 2010 Culinary Water Master Plan, two concerns were identified relating to Provo’s west side: limited storage and high pressures. Before this project, 75% of Provo was part of the Main Zone and only had 33% of the storage. In addition, pressures well exceeded the state maximum recommended pressure of 120 psi.
To resolve both issues, Provo City – in coordination with our consulting engineer Hansen, Allen & Luce – determined that the most effective solution would be to add two new tanks (shown as yellow dots on the map) and provide new transmission lines to service the west side. These tanks are about 100 feet lower in elevation than the Main Zone tanks, which will reduce the overall pressure about 40 psi.
How does this affect me?
Indoor Use – most homes have an in-line pressure reducing valve (PRV) that keeps the pressure at a reasonable level to avoid damage to indoor water fixtures, water heaters, etc. Because of this, reduction in system pressure should have minimal effect on indoor pressures.
Outdoor Use - The outdoor use will be affected more if the sprinkler system has not had a PRV since the pressure is dropping about 40 psi. When starting up your system next spring, check your spray patterns and run times to ensure that watering is effective.
Fire sprinkler systems (more typical for commercial properties) will be affected by the lowered pressure. Check the system characteristics and ensure that it will still function properly at the lower system pressure. Typical system pressures on peak days will range from 65psi to 95psi.
Areas outside of the Westside Zone shouldn’t see much of a change. Some homes on the boundary of the main zone may even have a smaller pressure swing after the zone is added.
Please feel free to call Provo Water Resources (801) 852-6780 if you are having pressure related issues.
Click Here to see a full-sized map detailing the pressure zones