A burst pipe left several London areas without water for 3 days, impacting homes, schools, and care facilities.
Thames Water did not say when water returns. They stated they work around the clock. Residents find the water outage annoying. This came from interviews at a water station. Sainsbury’s car park in Bell Green became a hub.
Ernest Satheesbeen, a Catford resident, spoke up. He had no water for three days straight. He thought the pipes froze at first. Then, he learned it was a bigger problem. He saw the water hub on his work commute.
Candice Brown, from Crystal Palace, shared her story. She hauled water for neighbors, age 47. She made several trips to get water. She feels water pressure has been low a while.
Anna Kakule, from Sydenham, felt annoyed too, age 27. Her water went on and off for three days. The pressure remains low always. She saw the water hub while passing by. She desires hotter water, more water pressure.
Helen Hayes, MP, criticized Thames Water’s response. She described “chaotic handling of water outages”. She wrote to Thames Water’s CEO Chris Weston. She worries about the big leak at a key station. She called the support for locals “poor”.
Hayes added the water station is not accessible. Many residents lack a car to get there. She feels they ignore people walking to get water.
Thames Water closed the Bell Green hub early Wednesday. A “security incident” caused the sudden closure. People argued over bottled water there, per social media. People outside the area came for free water.
One man admitted to being unaffected. Still, he got free bottled water there anyway, and was spoken to.
Thames Water apologized to Crystal Palace customers. They cited low pressure or no water. They rerouted water overnight into the network. Most properties now have water again.
They deliver water to priority service customers. They reopened the water station at Southend Lane. They are working 24/7 to fix things now. The company is sorry for issues caused.