Hosepipe ban “shocking” as a water leak floods the main street

Southern Water was criticized by residents and politicians after a leak had closed a street when the company announced a ban on Hosepipe.

The move was described as “shocking” because the supply company confirmed that the ban would come into force on Monday.

It came when the South Street was closed in Hythe after a burst tube of water loosened through the Edward Street and Alexandra Road, with the residents being awakened with the sound of running water on Wednesday.

Alex Wade, City Councilor of New Forest District for Hythe Central, criticized the water company and described the time of the water leak “shocking” and “Beyond a Witz” when the residents face their water consumption while the invoices increase.

He said: “Timing is outside of a joke, given the southern water announced today, which today would give a pants speppipe throughout the district.

“South Street is a small 20 km / h road, but it is a main street in the village and many people park there and on the surrounding streets to go shopping.

“In order for the road to be closed for any period of time, the region will have an enormous impact and it is a problem.

“Part of the broader frustration over the southern water is that these leaks appear again and do not take place for the first time because they are old pipes.

“People's bills are higher and for Mediterranean water to impose a hoses pipe ban when such things are always frustrating, and I think many customers lose patience there.

“I really think that people understand the hosespip ban and the fact that we have to keep water, but if there are constant problems and water leaks that affect so many people, it is annoying.”

In conversation with the echo, Lyndon Taylor, who lived in South Street, said that he was awakened by the sound of running water before 4 a.m.

He said: “This is the second time that this pipe failed within two years.

“I was awakened by the noise of running water shortly before 4 a.m., so I checked all my taps before I realized that it was outside.”

Read more: South Street, Hythe, closed because of water leaks

South water at the location of a water leak in Hythe (Image: delivery)

The MEP of New Forest East, Sir Julian Lewis, said that the water leak was “unacceptable” and should be determined as “top priority”, while Gary Carter, the nation of the GMB Union, described Southern Water as “shameless”.

Elsewhere, the council member of New Forest District, David Harrison, asked Southern Water to “act with many examples of the water infrastructure on site”.

Cllr David Harrison (Image: David Harrison) After a brass pipe on the Bassett Green Road in Southampton on Monday, 20 houses lost their water supply, while engineers completed a “complete re -hiring of the street”.

CLLR Harrison said with the echo: “In any case, it causes additional costs and often massive inconvenience while repairs are carried out.

“It is even more embarrassing when a hose pipe ban announces on the day on which Southern Water announces enormous leaks.

“It is dazzling that the investment in maintaining our water infrastructure has been seriously invested over many years, and we are now seeing the results.”

In a statement, a spokesman for Southern Water cleared “We know that we have more to do”, although we achieve a record for reducing leaks last year.

The spokesman said: “We understand the concern of the public about leakage, but fixing LECKS is an incredibly challenging task in such a large one and in parts in the retirement network.

“Last year we achieved a record year for reducing leaks with a reduction of more than 18 percent, thanks to the use of state -of -the -art technology, to combat more leaks than ever before, whereby our team of leak buzzers working around the clock to find them.”

The water company apologized for the inconvenience caused due to the water leak, since the staff worked all day to repair the problem and the reopening of the street.