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Pipe fixed as water supply issue enters day five

Harry LowLondon
News imageBBC Roadworks shows hole in ground and red/white/blue fences around it BBC
Thames Water has apologised to customers for disruption to water supply

A water supply issue affecting 10,000 homes in east London and Essex has entered a fifth day as Thames Water said it had repaired one of the two burst water mains.

The water company told residents that water should be restored by Wednesday morning following the issue which started on Saturday.

Pipe damage on Daisy Road in South Woodford left properties across E4, E10, E11, E17, E18, IG2, IG4, IG5, IG6, IG7, IG8, IG9, IG10 and RM4 postcodes facing low pressure or no water.

In a fresh update on Wednesday morning, Thames Water said: "We appreciate the patience and support people have shown as multiple crews work simultaneously on site to get water flowing through your taps again."

News imageDaytime traffic jam on a road, showing a long queue of cars and a white van
Queues formed at a bottled water station on Tuesday

The second water main burst on Chigwell Road in South Woodford on Sunday morning.

Thames Water said it would "continue to deliver to customers who are registered as water dependent on our priority services register" but some customers on the register told the BBC on Tuesday that this had not happened.

Temporary bottled water distribution points set up at Fairlop Ice Kingdom on Fairlop Road, Ilford, and New City College in Loughton opened on Wednesday morning.

One of those queuing for hours was Patricia who told the BBC the situation was "immensely frustrating" having tried to unsuccessfully to purchase at a number of shops that had sold out.

News imageWoman with green necklace and blue top in front seat of cat with seatbelt on
Patricia said customers should be refunded

She said: "It's completely out of order to be without water, without any facility at home and to have to queue for hours to get some water."

On Thames Water, she added: "Get yourself together. Repair what needs to be repaired. Are you going to give us a refund on the water we pay? Because you're not delivering what you promised."

Thames Water increased bills by 40% in April 2025 and last year was fined a record £122.7m by regulator Ofwat, most of which was for breaching sewage spills rules.

On Monday, it was revealed the company paid its finance chief a £1m signing-on fee in July.

News imageRedbridge Council Nighttime view of a flooded road under a concrete overpass. A fire engine sits in deep, reflective floodwater in the distance with emergency lights on, while dry grassy verge and pavement run along the foreground.Redbridge Council
A pipe burst on Chigwell Road in South Woodford early on Sunday

Dr Neil Hudson, MP for Epping Forest, said he was "in urgent contact with Thames Water about the critical and unacceptable water outages in and around Chigwell".

He added: "I am pressing them to improve their support for priority customers and provide further water stations and improve their communications."

Thames Water said: "One of multiple bursts in the area has been successfully repaired overnight and work continues this morning to bring the damaged pipe on Daisy Road back into supply.

"Additional clean water tankers continue supporting the affected area by pumping water into the network."

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