MAJOR WATER FAILURE CAUSES CHAOS IN HILL RISE, RICHMOND
Thames Water has been attending an emergency water failure in Hill Rise, Richmond which caused a cascade of water in the road as well as flooding, loss of water supply and low water pressure. Bottled water is being made available to affected households.
The local Green Party said: “We wanted to update you that last night there was a serious water main failure on Hill Rise. This created a major cascade that was finally brought to a halt around 2am.
“After a temporary closure due to road surface damage, Petersham Road has now reopened. However:
- Number 65 buses are on diversion. We understand the 371 buses will run as normal.
- A sink hole outside the Old Vicarage School and other broken road surface in the surrounding area will take some time to repair.
In response to the incident, emergency services all co-ordinated, electricity supplies were maintained and a major evacuation was avoided. Cadent are currently checking for gas issues. The Council Transport lead and South Richmond Councillors were at the site to help until 2am.
If you have any concerns or questions, please contact Chas at cllr.c.warlow@richmond.gov.uk.
Thames Water states in its latest bulletin: “Our teams on site continue to progress with the repair. Due to the complexity of the work, further excavation is required. As this involves a deep excavation, additional trench support is being put in place to ensure the repair can be carried out safely.
“Water tankers remain in the area to help put water back into the network and support as many customers as possible in regaining supply.
“If you’ve been directly affected by flooding, please call us on 0800 316 9800 so we can provide further support.
“If you’re already registered on our Priority Service Register, there’s no need to contact us—we’re already delivering bottled water in the area.
“We understand this is a busy area, and disruption is being managed as carefully as possible, including traffic management and on-site support teams.
“We apologise for the inconvenience caused and thank you for your patience while we work to restore normal supply.
“We’re sorry for the delay in getting your water back. Our teams have now successfully isolated the damaged section of pipe on Richmond Hill, meaning the pressure to the wider area is returning.
“You may notice the pressure is lower than normal, and it will fluctuate as our tankers supporting the area change over. But please be assured once the repair is complete things will return to normal.
“Currently we’re digging the excavation to get to the damaged section of pipe, once this has been exposed we can then begin the repair. We’re working as fast and safely as we can.
“Colleagues are on site supporting customers affected by flooding, including helping to clear any standing water where required. Our customer representatives and loss adjuster teams continue to provide advice and assistance to those directly impacted.
“There is a lot of consequential damage to the area, and this will take some time to clear up. We anticipate the road remaining closed for a few days. If travelling in the area please allow additional time to your journey.
“Thank you for your continued patience while we work to fully restore supplies and get things back to normal.”
A statement from Thames Water at just after midnight said: “Our specialist response team are working with emergency services, including the Fire Brigade and Police, on site to support the immediate residents.
“We are working urgently to shut off the main pipe to stop the flooding as quickly as possible. Once this is complete, we will put measures in place to restore and maintain water supply to affected customers.
“Some customers may experience reduced water pressure or temporary loss of supply while this work is carried out
“Additional crews are on their way to help speed up the response, and we will continue working until the issue is resolved and normal service is restored.
“Thank you for your patience and understanding.”