Burst main: Stanground homes without water
Tuesday, 9am: Hundreds of homes plus businesses and schools in Peterborough were left without water on Monday (8 February) after a mains burst.
Tuesday, 9am: Hundreds of homes plus businesses and schools in Peterborough were left without water on Monday (8 February) after a mains burst.One family had to resort to buying bottled water from a nearby superstore as repair crews struggled to restore supplies.
The ordeal began at about 2am when a 12 inch Anglian Water pipe burst in Farcet Road, Stanground, cutting water supplies to 750 surrounding properties.
Two repair crews from Anglian Water worked throughout the night to mend the leak but it was 11am before supplies were reconnected.
But that was quickly followed by a burst to a pipe feeding water to about 80 properties in South Street, Stanground.
Distressed couple Syretta Sterry (32) and her partner Daine Daley (40), of South Street, drove to Tesco's with their 15-month-old son Reuben to get supplies of bottled water.
Speaking at 4pm yesterday, Ms Sterry said: "It has been a nightmare – we haven't got any tap water at all.
"You don't realise how much you rely on it – we can't have a shower, wash up or even flush the toilet.
"Now we've got enough to cook pasta for tea when our other kids Kelan (14) and Asha (11) get home.
"If the water doesn't come back soon I don't know what we'll do – we can't keep buying bottled water."
The crisis forced the closure of Heritage Park Primary School, on Park Farm Way, Peterborough, for the day while Oakdale Primary School, on Oakdale Avenue, Stanground, was shut for the morning.
Oakdale head teacher John Yardy said: "We had no water whatsoever which made the toilets unhygienic.
Hairdresser Rai De Vita had to ask his parents to look after son Luca (6) after hearing Oakdale was closed so he could get to work.
Mr De Vita said: "I am lucky that my parents live in Stanground - if they didn't I would not have been able to go to work in the morning."
Nearby secondary school Stanground College was able to open because they had enough reserves in their water tank for the day.
Pensioner Roy Carroll (70), from Southfields Avenue, Stanground, said: "It's been quite frustrating as I haven't been able to have my usual morning coffee or shower."
The water came back in time for The Fenman pub on Whittlesey Road to open at 11am, though landlady Penny Stevens had a mountain of washing up from the night before to do while serving customers.
An Anglian Water spokesperson said: "We apologise for any inconvenience. The first problem was natural wear and tear that could occur at any time of the year anywhere in the country.
"The second issue was a consequence of us getting water to the houses affected.
"We aim to repair all bursts within 12 hours, as we did in this case.
"If the problem lasts longer we do hand out bottled water.
He added: "But if the problem has been identified and the end is in sight, as it was in this case, we do not provide that service."
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Weather for Peterborough
Thursday 18 March 2010
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 2 C - 8 C
Wind Speed: 14 Knots
Wind direction: North west
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Sunny spells
Temperature: 2 C - 10 C
Wind Speed: 18 Knots
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