What type of tap is best for your office based on water pressure?

When you’re choosing a tap for your office, it’s not just about sleek design or whether you want sparkling water on demand. One of the most overlooked factors is water pressure, which can make all the difference.

Why? Because the right tap for your office depends on how many people will use it. It also depends on the water pressure in your building. If you choose the wrong tap, you might get weak flow or uneven temperatures. You could also end up with a tap that performs poorly.

Let’s break it down brand by brand. Or, skip to the bottom line.

Borg & Overström

• How it works: Borg & Overström taps are generally dependent on your building’s existing water pressure. There are no internal pumps (except in the sparkling systems), which means the system relies on the pressure coming in.
• What you need: Around 3+ bar will give optimum performance.
• What it means in practice: Borg & Overström taps perform best in offices with steady, consistent water pressure.
• Tip: Borg & Overström is ideal if your building maintains reliable pressure, making it a straightforward, high-performance choice.

Billi

• How it works: Billi taps use a combination of direct pressure and pumps. Chilled water relies on incoming pressure, but the hot water is pumped, ensuring a steady flow regardless.
• What you need: Ideally 2.5+ bar, but for larger units like the Plus 9 and Plus 15, at least 3 bar is required.
• What it means in practice: Billi is a good middle ground, offering reliable hot water thanks to the pump, while chilled performance still depends on pressure.
• Tip: If hot water is a priority in your office kitchens, Billi provides some insurance against low pressure.

Zip

• How it works: Zip taps are the most forgiving of the three. Both chilled and hot water are pumped, which reduces dependency on building pressure.
• What you need: Minimum 1.7 bar, though if you choose the All-in-One option (with a mixer tap), you’ll still need at least 3 bar.
• What it means in practice: Zip works even in offices where water pressure isn’t ideal. If you’re in a building with inconsistent supply across floors, Zip is often the safest choice.
• Tip: For offices with fluctuating supply, Zip is the “pressure-proof” option.

How to check your water pressure

1. Ask a plumber or your building maintenance team to do a pressure test.
2. Check at each your major water points. You may already know where you want your water dispensers, if so then test the taps in that area..
3. If your office spans multiple floors, test on each one. Water pressure often drops the higher you go.

What affects water pressure in an office?

• Building height.
• Pipe size and condition (narrow or old pipes can restrict flow).
• Demand (busy times of day and high traffic can reduce available pressure).
• Local supply issues.

The bottom line

If your building has consistent pressure, Borg & Overström could be a solution.

If you want a balance with hot water reliability, Billi could be a good choice.

If you need flexibility with less-than-perfect pressure, Zip could help you work around this.

Step one, check your pressure. Step two, match the right tap to your office needs. Get that right, and your team will have consistently great water at their fingertips.