Residents of Crystal Palace, Sydenham, and surrounding areas are beginning to see water supplies return after four difficult days without water. The disruption began on the evening of Tuesday, February 11, 2025, following a significant burst water pipe in Dulwich, Thames Water confirmed.
Thames Water states that repairs have been completed and water pressure is gradually returning to normal levels. However, some customers are still experiencing issues such as low water pressure, particularly in taller buildings, intermittent water cuts during peak hours, and cloudy or bubbly water caused by trapped air. Thames Water assures that the water remains safe to drink.
For residents still without water, bottled water stations have been established at Sainsbury’s Southend Lane (SE26 4PU), which are open daily until 9 PM.
The outage affected areas including SE19, SE20, SE23, SE26, SE27, and SW16. It disrupted homes, seven schools, and three care homes, necessitating emergency water provisions for vulnerable individuals.
Local resident Anna Kakule, 27, from Sydenham, expressed frustration: “It’s annoying. The water has been going on and off for three days. The pressure is low, and sometimes it just stops completely.” Many residents had to travel significant distances to obtain bottled water and criticised Thames Water for poor communication during the crisis.
A Thames Water spokesperson said: “We’re sorry to customers in the Crystal Palace area who have had no water or lower pressure than usual due to a burst pipe. We have completed repairs and water supplies will return to normal as pressures build. To ease the impact, we diverted water from other areas to restore most customers. However, some may still face temporary supply loss during peak demand.”
Despite the repairs, frustration remains high among South London residents. Some are calling for compensation and are upset that Thames Water is proposing bill increases amid the ongoing issues.
One resident commented: “We’ve been without water for over four days, yet they still want to raise our bills. It’s ridiculous.”
Thames Water has pledged to monitor the situation closely and respond promptly to any new problems. Residents are advised to run their taps if the water appears cloudy, as it should clear once the supply stabilises. For the latest information, customers should refer to Thames Water’s official communication channels.
Originally published by UKNIP.
