Frustration Grows Over Thames Water’s Service Amid Outage
A London mother, Rochelle Lee-Johnson, aged 47, has expressed her outrage after enduring a four-day water outage, stating that Thames Water’s intention to implement a further increase in charges is “not justifiable.” This incident followed a significant water main burst in Dulwich, southeast London, which left numerous areas—including seven schools and three care homes—without water or with severely reduced pressure.
Living in Sydenham, one of the regions affected, Rochelle described Thames Water’s handling of the situation as “diabolical,” highlighting their “poor communication” which relied heavily on neighbors relaying information to one another. Speaking to The i Paper, she articulated her frustrations, particularly as Thames Water had recently approached the competition regulator seeking permission to raise customer charges even more than previously agreed.
Thames Water has already been granted a 35 percent increase in consumer bills over the next five years by the water regulator Ofwat, but the company lobbied for a staggering 59 percent hike. Rochelle commented, “The fact that you’re upping everyone’s water charges and this has happened… It’s diabolical. Why should we pay for it? They’ve caused so many errors, but we’ve got to bear the cost. You just couldn’t make it up.”
On Wednesday morning, Rochelle recounted her experience of waking up to a functioning water supply, despite nearby postcodes losing access to water the previous day due to the burst pipe. “By the time I got my children to school, I received a message that the school was closed because they had no water,” she shared.
The family initially had water access until around 1 PM on Wednesday, after which “everything just went dry.” Rochelle learned from her daughter’s godmother that Thames Water was providing emergency water supplies from a single collection point, but the limited amount quickly ran out. “I had a few cases, but they didn’t last. If you’ve got to keep boiling kettles and pots for three of us in the household, it’s not sustainable,” she explained.
Rochelle, who is disabled and has a disabled son, was informed she would be prioritized for additional water deliveries. However, she expressed frustration after being told that the water would be delivered within four hours, yet she received nothing. “I called multiple times on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, but still no water was delivered,” she lamented, speaking on Sunday after her supply was finally restored.
Despite her situation, Rochelle had to make trips to Thames Water’s bottled water facility at a local Sainsbury’s car park. “I questioned the value of being on the priority register. It seems that being disabled doesn’t guarantee you’ll receive the necessary support,” she stated. She also raised concerns for those who don’t have access to transportation, emphasizing that many people may have been suffering without water.
- Thames Water’s Communication Issues: Rochelle criticized the company’s reliance on neighbors to share updates during the outage.
- Increased Charges: Thames Water’s appeal for higher charges has added to customer frustrations.
- Emergency Water Supplies: Limited access to emergency water was inadequate for many affected households.
Rochelle noted that Thames Water promised some form of compensation for the inconvenience, yet she was unsure if it would be reflected in her bill or sent directly to her bank account. “It’s ironic,” she remarked, “you’re raising our charges while we’re not benefiting from it. Look at what’s happened—it’s just not justifiable.” She criticized the company’s management, questioning how many broken pipes could occur in such a short period and the impact on numerous postcodes.
Having lived in the area for over three decades, Rochelle reflected on her experience, stating, “I’ve never encountered anything like this before. I understand that issues can arise, but when they happen repeatedly and disrupt so many lives, it’s a major concern.” Thames Water acknowledged on Tuesday that some homes might temporarily lose their water supply as services gradually returned to normal.
According to the company’s reports, Thames Water loses approximately 24 percent of the water it supplies due to leaks. Earlier this year, customers were informed that their bills would rise by an average of £19 per month starting in April. Due to its precarious financial situation, the utility company has requested the UK’s competition regulator to permit even higher charges than the already agreed-upon 35 percent increase. Chairman Adrian Montague stated that the appeal is “in the interests of our customers and the environment,” as Ofwat’s decision would enable necessary investments to enhance service quality.
Thames Water was approached for comment regarding these issues.
