Thousands impacted and more than a dozen schools shut after burst water main
More than a dozen schools have been forced to close their doors in Oxfordshire after a burst water supply system continued to cause supply problems.
A pipe feeding reservoirs in postcodes OX7, OX18, OX28, OX29 and GL7 was found broken next to Oxford Road in Eynsham.
Thousands of homes, as well as schools, have no running water or low pressure.
Thames Water said excavation of the broken pipe was “complex” due to the size of the pipe, its location within the landscape and “excessive groundwater”.
Schools affected include those in Burford, Carterton and Witney. Bottled water stations continue to operate at Sainsbury’s in Witney and Morrisons in Carterton.
Speaking about the disruption to schools, Liberal Democrat MP for Witney, Charlie Maynard, told ITV: “Schools are closed, some are on hold until the end of the day. It’s an incredibly disruptive situation for children and parents to have to stop work and go pick up the children.”
Thames Water said the problem was resolved on Thursday evening but it would take some time for the network to recharge.
It was stated that customers may experience delays before supply returns to normal, but more than 3.5 million liters of water have been pumped to the region so far.
The statement said: “As the network recharges, pressure on the system will gradually increase. This means some customers may experience delays before supply is fully restored as it takes time for water to move through the network and for the pressure to equalise.”
Thames Network also said customers may notice their water being discolored at first, but reassured them that this is normal.
He apologized for the problem and thanked customers for their patience, emphasizing that area residents who might need extra help during the supply outage should sign up with the company’s board of directors. priority services registration, external.
