Parents fuming after Thames Water fault closes schools and homes without water
Thousands of homes were left without running water after a huge power supply issue at Thames Water, forcing the closure of dozens of schools as London Major Sadiq Khan demanded answers.
Customers in west London woke up this morning to empty taps thanks to issues at its Ashford and Hampton water treatment works. Tankers were bought in to support hospitals, and initially Thames Water confirmed customers in around 50 postcodes might be without water, or have a low water pressure. The firm say people who have pre-registered as having special requirements are being identified.
It said getting the water supplies back running was its "top priority". Kingston Hospital and Parkside Hospital fall under those, as the water company said it is still "working hard to fix the issue". Power is back, a spokesperson said, and customers can expect water supply to "return across the day". They added that tankers will be sent "as a precaution" to "support critical infrastructure".
The areas hit by the supply issues are: CR4, E5, E8, EC1V, KT1, KT2, KT3, KT8, HA0, N1, N5, N15, N16, N17, NW1, NW2, NW10, SE1, SE11, SE16, SE17, SW4, SW8, SW9, SW13, SW14, SW15, SW18, SW19, TW2, TW4, TW5, TW7, TW8, TW10, TW11, TW12, TW14, TW17, UB1, UB2, UB6, W1H, W1H, W1M, W1N, W2, W3, W4, W6, W7, W10, W12, W13, W14.
Full pressure water is starting to return for some residents. A statement read: "The power supply is now back on at Ashford Water Treatment Works and supplies should be starting to return across the area. The issue also had a knock-on effect at Hampton Water Treatment Works, meaning a large number of customers have been affected.
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"We’re really sorry for the worry and inconvenience this will have caused. We’re working hard to get things back to normal as soon as possible, but it’s likely to take some time for the supply system to refill and for water to fully return to the whole area.
London Major Mr Khan wants to ensure there is no repeat. He said: "Thames Water has advised that some may be experiencing low/no water pressure today. They anticipate supplies will return today but it could take time for everything to be back to normal. We are in touch with Thames Water and asking for the answers Londoners want about why this has happened and how to ensure it does not happen again."
But that didn't stop number of angry parents taking to twitter saying they lost a days' work due to the school closures. Leading private girls’ school Lady Eleanor Holles confirmed teachers sent its pupils home as a result of the water shortages. Nelson Primary, St Edmunds, St James Primary and St Richard Reynolds High were also closed.
Waldergrave School in Twickenham and Richmond's The Vineyard School also has not opened this morning. One dad posted: "Will Thames Water be reimbursing all the parents who now have to take the day off from work to pick up their kids from school.....oh wait."
A mum outlined the problems the enforced closures caused her family. She put: "Just had to collect my daughter from her special needs school and now taking the day off work as a result. So disruptive to our family. My daughter doesn't understand why her routine was changed. Very upset!"
Another irate customer said on the social media platform: "Thames Water strikes again. Homes across London cut off + schools closed. Mind you, it makes a change from TW dumping sewage into our waters, awarding themselves massive bonuses + not fixing ancient pipes or leaks. Carry on the bad work... oh they obviously are."
Adam Jacobs from Isleworth told Sky News he had to rush out and buy bottled water to ensure he has enough for his seven-month-old baby. "When I got there, they were running out of bottled water, people were panic-buying," the 43-year-old said. "I don't have a car, but I knew I could run to the shops. If this goes on for the day then there is a serious problem."
Another angry resident tweeted: "Thames Water has shut off water for big parts of West London, lots of schools are closing and I don't know if my kids' schools are open. On a completely unrelated note the boss of Thames Water was paid £1.6 million last year."
Richmond Council confirmed some of its libraries had to close and said on twitter: "We are aware of reports of low water pressure or no water in parts of the borough. @thameswater are working to fix the issue and to get things back to normal."
A statement read: "We’re really sorry if you have low pressure or no water. It’s been caused by a power supply problem which has affected our Ashford and Hampton water treatment works in west London. We’re working hard to fix the issue and to get things back to normal. We’ll provide further updates here as soon as we have more information."
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Munira Wilson, the MP for Twickenham in south west London, announced that classrooms in her area have been forced to shut and urged the firm to "sort this soon". A number of schools this morning alerted parents to the problem, with some initiating remote learning with the power problems forcing headteachers to decide that buildings will not open today.
Liberal Democrat MP Sarah Olney tweeted: “I’ve just learnt that areas across the constituency will have no, or low, water pressure today due to a power supply issue at the Ashford and Hampton Treatment Works. I’ve reached out to @thameswater to ask when residents can expect the issue to be resolved.”
Sky News report that Thames Water is trying to secure extra money as the government considers whether it will need to step in. Recently, Thames Water set out a plan to provide a secure and sustainable water supply for the next 50 years. The water utility company submitted a revised draft water resource management plan after its forecasts revealed London and the Thames Valley will need an extra one billion litres of water every day.
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