Watford homes without water amid 12 times more burst pipes

Last week Affinity Water warned that a “Great Thaw” was set to wreak havoc across the county as exposed pipes expand and potentially burst due to a sudden temperature rise.

Yesterday (December 20), it issued an alert that Watford customers in WD18, WD19, and WD23 postcodes were facing water supply problems.

Read more: ‘Great Thaw’ could burst pipes in ‘hundreds of homes’ this weekend

At 12.30am today pressure was restored to the area but it warned some customers may still face difficulties, particularly during peak times.

Affinity Water confirmed 12 times more pipes are bursting than usual following the “freeze/thaw event” adding technicians are “working around the clock to get supplies back to normal”.

An Affinity Water spokesperson said: “We are very sorry for the disruption caused to customers in Watford who may be experiencing low pressure or no water.

“The majority of customers' water will now be restored. However, a small number of customers will still be without water or have low pressure during peak times in the morning and evening.

Affinity Water has warned of potential floods due to water pipes bursting (Image: Flooding road closure stock image. (Andrew Matthews/PA))“If your water is discoloured or cloudy, don’t worry this is normal. We know it doesn’t look nice, but it’s not harmful and you can help by running your cold tap until it’s clear.

“We would like to thank customers for their patience during this time.”

The company delivered bottled water to vulnerable customers on its priority services register in the area.

The rise in burst pipes resulted from a week of sub-zero temperatures followed by a sudden thaw.

Read more: Former charity building 'seriously flooded'

This type of weather event causes ground movement and pipes to contract, expand, and potentially burst, which can also lead to homes flooding.

There are particular fears for people who have used minimal heating due to the cost-of-living crisis – making their pipes more prone to expensive bursts. Properties left empty for Christmas getaways could also be vulnerable.

Key advice includes ensuring pipes are well insulated with pipe lagging as soon as possible. Also, knowing where the property stopcock is, which is the control for mains water, will enable people to quickly cut off water if a burst occurs.