One foot of water is exactly 2989.0669 pascals, so converting feet of water to pascals is a single multiplication. Enter any figure and the result appears as you type — the arithmetic runs in your browser, so nothing is sent anywhere.
Pump head expressed as a column of water — the way pump curves are drawn. The SI unit: one newton per square metre.
Gauge versus absolute. A tyre gauge reading 32 psi means 32 psi above atmospheric, which is about 46.7 psi absolute. Converting the number is straightforward; remembering which zero it was measured from is where the mistakes happen. N/mm² and MPa are the same size, so a drawing quoting either is quoting the same stress. Below the calculator there is a step table for the values people look up most, and a second table putting real pressure figures into pascals so the number you get has something to be compared against.
The formula
feet of water- The amount you are converting, in feet of water
2989.0669- The exact number of pascals in one foot of water
pascals- The converted result
How it works, step by step
- Enter the value in feet of water.
- It is multiplied by 2989.0669, the exact factor between the two units.
- The answer is shown in pascals, with the reverse conversion beneath it.
- Check the reference table if you want a figure of comparable size.
Worked examples
A domestic water main: 134 ftH₂O in pascals
Take a domestic water main, roughly 134 ftH₂O. The conversion is a single multiplication — 134 × 2989.07 — giving 400,535 Pa. Because the relationship is proportional, doubling the input doubles the answer to 801,070 Pa.
Sea-level air: 33.9 ftH₂O in pascals
Take sea-level air, roughly 33.9 ftH₂O. The conversion is a single multiplication — 33.9 × 2989.07 — giving 101,329 Pa. Because the relationship is proportional, doubling the input doubles the answer to 202,659 Pa.
How to read your score
Frequently asked questions
How many pascals are in one foot of water?
Exactly 2989.0669. Every figure on this page is that one number multiplied by your input, so the only rounding is at the display step.
What is the formula to convert feet of water to pascals?
pascals = feet of water × 2989.0669. Reversed, feet of water = pascals ÷ 2989.0669, which is the same as multiplying by 0.000334552565551.
Which is the bigger unit, the foot of water or the pascal?
The foot of water. One foot of water equals 2989.07 pascals.
What does this quantity actually measure?
Both units measure pressure. That is why a single factor is enough: there is no temperature offset and no material property involved, unlike conversions that cross between different quantities.
What is a foot of water?
Pump head expressed as a column of water — the way pump curves are drawn.
What is a pascal?
The SI unit: one newton per square metre.
Why does my answer differ from another converter?
Almost always because the other tool rounded the factor before multiplying. This page keeps full double precision through the calculation and rounds only for display, and it prints the factor it used so you can see where any difference came from.
Is there a quick way to do ftH₂O to Pa in my head?
Plenty of people do this in their head: multiply by 3000 instead of using the exact factor 2989.0669. At 100 that shortcut gives 300,000 pascals, off by 1093 pascals or about 0.37%. Fine for a rough estimate, not fine for anything you are cutting to size or dosing.
Feet Of Water to pascals reference tables
| Feet Of Water | Pascals |
|---|---|
| 0.5 ftH₂O | 1494.53 Pa |
| 1 ftH₂O | 2989.07 Pa |
| 2 ftH₂O | 5978.13 Pa |
| 3 ftH₂O | 8967.2 Pa |
| 5 ftH₂O | 14,945.3 Pa |
| 10 ftH₂O | 29,890.7 Pa |
| 20 ftH₂O | 59,781.3 Pa |
| 25 ftH₂O | 74,726.7 Pa |
| 50 ftH₂O | 149,453 Pa |
| 75 ftH₂O | 224,180 Pa |
| 100 ftH₂O | 298,907 Pa |
| 250 ftH₂O | 747,267 Pa |
| 500 ftH₂O | 1.49453e+06 Pa |
| 1000 ftH₂O | 2.98907e+06 Pa |
| 5000 ftH₂O | 1.49453e+07 Pa |
Exact factor: 1 foot of water = 2989.0669 pascals.
| Quantity | ftH₂O | Pa |
|---|---|---|
| Sea-level air | 33.9 ftH₂O | 1.013e+05 Pa |
| A car tyre | 73.81 ftH₂O | 2.206e+05 Pa |
| Blood pressure, systolic | 5.352 ftH₂O | 1.6e+04 Pa |
| A bicycle tyre | 207.6 ftH₂O | 6.205e+05 Pa |
| A domestic water main | 133.8 ftH₂O | 4e+05 Pa |
| A steam boiler | 334.6 ftH₂O | 1e+06 Pa |
Published reference values, converted with the same factor this page uses.