Water Tower Pressure Calculator

Formula

The formula to calculate the Pressure (P) at the base of a water tower is:

\[ P = \frac{h \cdot d \cdot g}{144} \]

Where:

\( P \) is the pressure at the base of the water tower (psi).
\( h \) is the height of the water column (feet).
\( d \) is the density of water (lb/ft³).
\( g \) is the acceleration due to gravity (ft/s²).

What is Water Tower Pressure?

Water tower pressure is the pressure exerted at the base of a water tower due to the weight of the water above. This pressure is what allows water to flow through pipes and reach consumers at a usable pressure. The pressure depends on the height of the water column, the density of the water, and the force of gravity. Understanding this pressure is crucial for designing water distribution systems and ensuring that water can be delivered effectively to homes and businesses.

Example Calculation

Consider an example where:

Height of Water Column (h): 100 feet
Density of Water (d): 62.4 lb/ft³
Acceleration due to Gravity (g): 32.2 ft/s²

Using the formula to calculate the Pressure:

\[ P = \frac{100 \times 62.4 \times 32.2}{144} = 1.39 \times 10^3 \text{ psi} \]

This means that the pressure at the base of the water tower for this example is approximately \( 1.39 \times 10^3 \) psi.