Updated 8 August 2026.
You will find this valve at the fresh water entry point into your unit, fitted after your unit’s stop cock.. It lowers high incoming municipal water pressure to a safe, steady level, usually 400 kPa. It protects household pipes, joints, and water-using appliances from sudden pressure spikes and reduces water waste.
A Pressure Relief Valve (PRV) starts leaking over time primarily because of mechanical wear and sediment accumulation that prevent the internal spring-loaded seal from closing tightly. over time it can degrade rubber or polymer seals, the internal metal spring may loose its tension, or consistent exposure to moisture and water minerals may corrode the metal valve seat.
In terms of the approved and registered Conduct Rules of the Body Corporate, responsibility for this component rests with the owner.
Rule 6.13 provides:
“A resident shall keep and maintain the sewerage pipes, water pipes and drains in his unit free from obstructions and blockages and generally in a good state of repair. Owners are responsible for the plumbing from the stopcock into their units. The body corporate is responsible from common property up to and including the stopcock.”
It is normal that a PRV occasionally drips some water, our plumbers tell us that an amount of 2 liters per day should be seen as acceptable and normal spillage.
Should you notice a leak you have two options: You can arrange to have the PRV to be inspected and, if necessary, repaired or replaced by a suitably qualified plumber, or you ask the Body Corporate through a trustee to have the inspection and repair done on the owner’s behalf. In the latter case would the Body Corporate prefer to get your approval to debit these costs to your next levy account.
Please also be aware that the replacement of a deteriorated or worn PRV is generally regarded as routine maintenance. Consequently, such replacements are not ordinarily covered under the Body Corporate’s insurance policy, which is intended to respond to sudden and unforeseen insured events rather than the gradual deterioration or normal wear and tear of plumbing components. Owners should therefore not rely on the Body Corporate’s insurance to fund the replacement of a defective PRV.