Low water pressure can affect one faucet, one type of water, or the entire home. Start by comparing a few fixtures before trying to fix anything.
The goal is to determine how widespread the symptom is. That helps distinguish a simple fixture issue from a broader plumbing or water-service problem.
Check More Than One Fixture
Try two or three faucets or fixtures in different parts of the home. Check both hot and cold water where practical.
- If only one faucet has weak flow, the problem may be limited to that fixture.
- If several fixtures have low pressure, or the home has no water at all, treat it as a broader water-supply problem.
- If only the hot water is affected, use the Water Heater & Hot Water Problems guide.
If Only One Faucet Has Low Pressure
If the faucet has a simple threaded aerator that is plainly designed to unscrew by hand, you may remove it and check for visible debris.
Do not force an aerator, use tools on a fixture that does not come apart normally, or disassemble the faucet. Some faucet designs use recessed or model-specific aerators that are not intended for ordinary removal.
If cleaning visible debris from a simple removable aerator does not restore normal flow, submit a maintenance request.
If Several Fixtures Have Low or No Water Pressure
If you know where the home's main water shutoff is located, you may visually confirm that an ordinary accessible valve appears to be in its normal open position.
Do not force, adjust, or disassemble a valve that is stuck, damaged, unfamiliar, or located in an unsafe or utility-controlled area.
If the whole home has low or no water pressure, there may also be a public water-service issue. For properties served directly by the City of Richmond Department of Public Utilities, check the utility's current information or contact DPU at 804-646-4646. If your property is served by another locality or utility provider, use that provider's outage or service information instead.
You can visit the City of Richmond Water Utility page for current Richmond water-service information.
What to Include in Your Maintenance Request
Tell us whether the problem affects one fixture or several, whether both hot and cold water are affected, whether there is some flow or no water at all, when the problem started, and whether you found a known utility outage or service issue.
Submit an unresolved water-pressure problem through your resident portal. For other plumbing symptoms, return to Plumbing & Water Problems.
Published: September 2, 2026
