Thames Water says go easy on the water

THAMES WATER has asked customers to use as little water as possible while they recover from the effects of the recent big freeze. Part of the problem is leaks in Thames Water pipes – but another part is leaks on customers’ own properties.

Not every has the water pipes within their homes lagged well enough to withstand a freeze such as the one we have just been through. When the temperature drops below zero, water freezes in pipes which are not properly protected. As the temperature rises again, the ice in the pipes melts.

If ice melts in the middle of a frozen pipe, the water can’t get out past the frozen bits. Water takes up more space than ice, so in those circumstances the pipe can burst. If the burst is not dealt with immediately, as more of the ice in the pipes melts, water ends up gushing out of the broken pipe.

As water pipes are often in the loft or hidden away in boxed in areas, it is not necessarily immediately obvious to the householder that they have a small leak. Often the problem is not discovered until the small leak turns into a torrent. When lots of torrents come at once, Thames Water loses a significant amount of supply.

Thames Water has said that it should be back to normal quite quickly – and it is increasing the amount of water it is pumping into the delivery network – but some customers may experience low water pressure for a few more days.

To help ensure everyone gets the best supply possible over the next few days, Thames Water is asking customers to try to use as little water as possible. The company has reminded customers of the standard ways of saving water:
take showers rather than baths;
do not leave taps running unnecessarily;
only run dishwashers and washing machines when you have a full load.

Thames Water is trying to ensure that vulnerable customers have a water supply – and it is delivering bottled water where necessary. It is also asking commercial customers to check their company premises. If businesses have been closed for a few days, leaks may not have been noticed – and large quantities of water could be being lost.

•Thames Water has asked customers only to contact them in a genuine emergency and to keep up with developments via social media or the Thames Water website:
https://www.thameswater.co.uk/

•There are also a number of helpful videos on the Thames Water YouTube channel (pictured above):
https://www.youtube.com/user/thameswaterofficial 

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