Mum's anger as burst pipe floods street

Published 18 Aug 2012 12:00 2 Comments

A BUSY mum is fuming after she was left without water for nearly 24 hours while gallons of it gushed from a fractured pipe just feet from her front door.

Lois Horwood and her children Daniel, 11, and nine-year-old Zoe, were at home in The Meadway in Tilehurst on Tuesday afternoon when gas engineers disturbed a corroded water pipe directly outside their driveway - sending a fountain of water shooting four feet into the air and flooding the footpath.

She said: "I called Thames Water and was told we had a four hour top priority slot.

"But we waited all day and when someone eventually came out at about 8pm, he had a look and then left again without saying anything."

The family were unable to wash, drink from the taps or flush the toilet.

Mrs Horwood, 43, added: "The children only drink water, so I had to go out and buy bottles of it, leaving me out of pocket.

"I managed to use the oven for dinner and then filled a bucket up from the leaking pipe outside so I could do the washing up, but I made phone call after phone call without getting anywhere."

She called Thames Water promptly at 6.30am on Wednesday and was told it was the first job of the day.

But when she rang to check FOUR hours later, she was told the crew were in Hurst.

She said: "Thames Water haven't given us a thing. They go on about the drought and the hosepipe ban, and the good work they've done in Hildens Drive, but this is hell.

"What a nerve they've got, only five minutes ago they were threatening to prosecute us for watering the garden."

Thames Water spokeswoman Natalie Slater confirmed the problem was fixed by noon yesterday (Wednesday) - 22 hours after it was reported.

She said: "We are really sorry that we took so long to repair this damaged pipe.

"Our response was not quick enough and we must try to do better in future."

A spokesman for Southern Gas Networks said: "A new service pipe was being installed when we came across a corroded water pipe.

"Once it was discovered, we tried to stop the water from coming out, but it was unfortunately unavoidable.

"We are very sorry for the inconvenience."

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This article appeared in Reading Chronicle 16 Aug 12

Have your say. Post a comment on this article.

• 

  Speller
  Unregistered User
  Aug 18, 23:17
  Report comment

  Does anyone proof read these articles? Engioneers? Unavoidalble?
  
  Recommend?   Yes 0     No 0

• 

  Bored
  Unregistered User
  Aug 19, 00:10
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  "We are really sorry that we took so long to repair this damaged pipe.
  
  "Our response was not quick enough and we must try to do better in future."
  
  How many times have we heard that from Thames Water? Change the record!
  
  Recommend?   Yes 1     No 0

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