A large pipe burst Monday morning in north London, flooding streets and causing traffic chaos.
Six postcodes within the boroughs of Islington & Hackney had low or no water supply, Thames Water Utilities Ltd. stated on their webpage.
Probably best to avoid our area due to a burst water main. Difficult to walk, drive or cycle currently! We’re sure it will be sorted by opening! pic.twitter.com/gZy4HsQ8ZP
— The Tollington (@TheTollington) August 8, 2022
The location of the burst pipe was close to Emirates Stadium, home of Premier League football club Arsenal. A spokesperson for the club stated that at 10.30 AM, water was not available in the offices of the club.
The UK’s temperatures are forecast to soar this week. Millions of people have been banned from watering their gardens because they don’t get enough rain.
Major utilities in the UK are already being criticized for the water they leak from their pipes. According to the Times newspaper in London, 2.4 billion litres of water are lost each day through leaks. This is enough water to supply nearly 16 million Brits, which make up a quarter of the country’s population.
Southern Water, outside the capital, has implemented the first hosepipe bans in southeast England in Hampshire & the Isle of Wight. Residents who want to water their gardens will need to use conservative methods like watering cans, or face a possible fine of up to £1,000. South East Water Ltd. will place a similar ban for customers in Kent, Sussex and Surrey starting Aug. 12.
We're aware that Thames Water are working hard to tackle the water main burst on Hornsey Road. There is low or no water pressure affecting addresses in N1, N4, N5 and N7. Our staff are on-site at the Harvist estate to assist residents. Please avoid the Hornsey Road area.
— Islington Council (@IslingtonBC) August 8, 2022
Like a tsunami
Monday’s burst pipe was located in the constituency of Jeremy Corbyn. In the lead-up to the 2019 election Boris Johnson’s Conservatives won the former Labour leader who promised to nationalize water companies.
A staff member of The Tollington pub said that the flooding began at 7 a.m. and was over in minutes. “We are keeping an eye on the cellar to see if it is hit first.
Weather conditions have already caused fires in London. This has prompted warnings about railway lines collapsing and forced power stations into low-level operation to avoid overheating.
According to the UK Met Office, temperatures in southern England will rise to the mid-30 degrees Celsius (95 degrees Fahrenheit), this week. This follows a record-breaking 40 degrees Celsius last month.
When Thames Water was contacted via email, a spokesperson said that engineers quickly arrived on the scene to stop the flow of water. “We are doing everything we can to bring things back to normal as soon as possible.”
