Enfield North MP Feryal Clark says the privately-owned utility company has serious questions to answer, reports James Cracknell
Thames Water’s handling of a major burst main in Enfield has been described as “appalling” by a local MP.
Enfield North MP Feryal Clark blasted the privately-owned utility company for what happened over five days in August when hundreds of homes were left without water and even Chase Farm Hospital was forced to cancel operations when its own supply ran dry.
In response to the crisis – which also caused major disruption to Enfield’s road network as Thames Water dug up several key routes simultaneously – Clark said: “This has been an awful incident for residents across Enfield. Some households were left without water for days.”
The Labour MP continued: “I have written to Thames Water because, while major infrastructure failures can happen, the handling of this incident has been appalling. Residents faced conflicting information about bottled water stations, inaccessible collection points and uncertainty about when their supply would return.
“I have also demanded clear answers on compensation for affected customers and the lessons Thames Water will learn from this unacceptable incident.”
The problems began on the morning of Sunday, 16th August, when a leak was reported at one of the borough’s major water mains, in Bramley Road between Oakwood and Cockfosters. This impacted supplies across a wide area, from Enfield Town to Southgate and Winchmore Hill.
On Monday 17th, Thames Water reported the leak had become “more complex” and that a full replacement of a section of the main would be needed.
A bottled water station was set up at Forty Hall, forcing some people in Southgate and Cockfosters to find a way past Thames Water’s own roadworks to get there. The company responded to complaints over the location by setting up two other bottled water stations, including one in Ponders End despite no supplies being affected there.
On Wednesday 19th, Chase Farm Hospital’s supply was cut off, leaving Thames Water scrambling to bring in tankers to keep the taps flowing. Most routine operations that day were cancelled. In an effort to reroute supplies from other areas, Thames Water also dug up the busiest junction in Enfield Town, forcing several bus routes to divert through clogged residential roads.
Clark said the impact was unacceptable and added: “This disruption also raises much wider questions about the state of our water industry and its infrastructure.
“I intend to raise this terrible experience of Enfield North residents when parliament debates the water industry on 14th September.”
Prime Minister Andy Burnham has previously expressed support for nationalising the water industry, which was privatised by Margaret Thatcher in the 1980s. Thames Water is currently owned by a consortium including a Chinese sovereign wealth fund and has been struggling financially for several years. It loses around 570 million litres of water per day, although the company claims to have reduced leaks by 15% since 2019.
Responding to Clark’s compensation demand, a spokesperson said: “In terms of compensation, Thames Water follows the industry’s Guaranteed Standards Scheme. Where customers are eligible for compensation following an unplanned interruption to their water supply, payments are applied automatically to customer accounts.”
They added: “We appreciate how disruptive this incident has been and sincerely thank everyone affected for their patience and understanding while our teams worked to restore supplies and complete the repair.
“We’re sorry for the disruption caused and thank you for your continued patience.”
After one of the driest and hottest summers on record, a hosepipe ban for Thames Water customers in Enfield remains in effect despite this week’s long-awaited rainfall.
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