- Fire Brigade and Police must become key players in responses
- London Boroughs join forces with GLA
- Call to follow six point plan for action
- Fears over potential threat to life
A leading London scrutiny councillor has called upon Thames Water to introduce major reform over its response to major burst water pipe incidents that threaten people’s safety and cause major disruption in the capital.
Speaking to a report before Lewisham Council next week (11th July) Councillor Alan Hall, Chair of Overview and Scrutiny in the borough said: “Thames Water must raise their game 100% in dealing with these major incidents that are happening all over London.
“There are 150-year-old water mains crumbling and disrupting and threatening Londoners’ lives and Thames Water need to listen to what London Boroughs, the GLA and the Fire Brigade are saying. Thames Water must act and act quickly
”Last year we had a tourist coach fall down a hole in the middle of Lee High Road in Lewisham – that was just one incident among many – we need to see action and fast.”
Other London boroughs including Islington, Hackney and Lambeth and the GLA environment committee are expected to make similar recommendations to those before Lewisham including:
- Make the Fire Brigade the statutory Emergency Response Service for flooding
- Thames Water to introduce a dedicated emergency response line for leaks
- Thames Water to improve and join up their monitoring system for detecting likely leaks
- Thames Water prioritize the replacement of Victorian pipes on major water mains
- Thames Water develop and publish attendance and performance standards to major and minor incidents
- Thames Water introduce a clear and consistent compensation policy for those affected
The full report to Lewisham Council’s Overview & Scrutiny Committee is here
The transcript of the Greater London Authority Environment Committee on Thursday 15th June is here
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