The callout comes from Wilo, the efficiency-first pump manufacturer, and follows on from recent reports of major pipe failure in a high-rise block of apartments in Lewisham. The devastating leak left many of the apartments uninhabitable, leading to tenants having to move out of their homes and into temporary accommodation.

While the cause of the issue at the Lewisham-based block hasn’t been fully identified, Wilo warns that many such failures could stem from a commonly overlooked issue in system design: hydraulic shock.

Also known as water hammer, hydraulic shock occurs when a sudden change in water flow — such as a pump switching off, a valve closing or demand dropping rapidly due to a water mains burst in the street — creates pressure waves that can travel through a system at high velocity. These surges can rupture joints, stress pipework and cause catastrophic leaks over time.

“Hydraulic shock is one of the most underestimated risks in water system design, especially in high-rise or mixed-use developments where pressure boosting is critical,” explains Steven Walker, Technical Sales Manager at Wilo UK. “If booster sets are specified without active surge protection or building managers do not have the ability to turn pumps off remotely, the consequences can be both dangerous and incredibly costly.”

To safeguard against this scenario, Wilo advises stakeholders who oversee building services and cold-water pressure boosting systems audit their current setup. Steven recommends that an advanced pressure boosting system that can actively mitigate hydraulic shock should be the norm and advocates that they are retrofitted into buildings where smart systems are not in place.

“In many buildings, especially those retrofitted or expanded over time, the pressure boosting system is no longer fit for purpose,” said Steven. “We’re encouraging engineers and asset owners to evaluate whether their existing setups are exposing them to avoidable risks.

“Modern booster sets, like Wilo’s SiBoost 2.0 Smart Helix 2.0VE, can help prevent the effects of hydraulic shock, and safeguard tenants and buildings from the dangers of pipe failures. The booster set does this by using dynamic control logic, soft start/stop pump sequencing and has integrated surge protection features, all of which help to avoid pressure surges.”

Steven concludes: “Now is the time to assess the integrity of your pressure boosting systems, before problems arise. We have experts available on hand to advise about water pressure boosting requirements in commercial and residential high-rise buildings, with many of our booster sets available on a three-to-five-day turnaround.”