The purpose of this study is to investigate the performance of a water heat source cascade heat pump system R717(Ammonia) is used for a low-stage working fluid while R134a is for a high-stage. In order to gain a high temperature supply water in winter season, the system is designed to perform a cascade cycle. In this study, two experiments were carried out. One is a system starting test from the low load temperature of $10^{circ}C$. The other is a system performance investigation over the R717 compressor capacity changes. Experimental results show that when it starts from the low load temperature, the suction temperature of the low-stage compressor is higher than that of a high-stage. The system performance increases when a water source temperature or a low-stage compressor rotational frequency goes higher.