A burst water main in South East London caused significant disruptions on Friday, January 6. The main ruptured, causing a road in the area to flood and leaving homes without water. Thames Water is working to fix the pipe and firefighters are helping to evacuate residents from flooded properties by boat. The burst main has even affected the Lee Green Fire Station, with three basement flats being flooded with about 20 cm of water. The flood has also caused nearby shops and restaurants to close.
The situation is being closely monitored, and the burst main is now under control. However, the remaining water in the area is still being cleared and residents in the Greenwich and Lewisham area may still be without water or have low water pressure for some time. The postcodes affected include SE3, SE7, SE9, SE10, SE12, SE13, and SE15. The road is closed from the A2212 Burnt Ash Road to Weigall Road.
The disruptions have been a source of frustration for many in the community. Not only have homes been left without water, but the closure of the road has caused traffic delays and inconvenienced local businesses. The situation is particularly unfortunate as it has occurred on a Friday, which is typically a busy day for commerce.
Thames Water has issued a statement apologizing for the inconvenience caused by the burst main. “We’re really sorry if you have low pressure or no water following a large burst pipe early this morning on the A20 Eltham Road, in SE12,” the statement reads. “We’re on site and working to shut off flow from the burst. Once we’ve done this, supplies should start to return to the affected area. We’d also like to apologize to drivers affected by the closure of the A20.”
The community is understandably eager for the situation to be resolved as soon as possible. In the meantime, Thames Water is working diligently to fix the pipe and restore water to the affected homes. It is hoped that the road will be able to reopen soon and that the businesses in the area can resume their normal operations.