How we manage incidents
We will support you during a water supply interruption by keeping you informed, sometimes providing bottled water and offering compensation.
Keeping you informed
Incidents on our network can interrupt your water supply. Unfortunately, we cannot let you know in advance of unplanned issues, but we promise to get in touch as soon as possible, regularly update you throughout the incident, and tell you when it’s all sorted.
Supplying bottled water
We always try to fix water supply issues quickly, but sometimes the nature of the issue means the repair can take some time.
If you are on our Priority Services Register, we will call you to check if you need any bottled water urgently delivered because of any additional needs you may have.
If you are not on our register, we’ll provide you with bottled water if your water supply is off for longer than five hours.
A bottled water station will be set up in the local area, where customers can collect it. We will always try to choose an accessible location with sufficient parking.
Providing compensation
Under our promise, you could be entitled to compensation if your water supply is interrupted.
For unplanned interruptions, such as a burst on one of our pipes, we will automatically compensate you £25 if we fail to restore your water supply within 12 hours, and we’ll add another £30 for every additional 12 hours. Compensation will be sent within 20 working days via cheque.
If your supply is interrupted for more than five hours, we’ll make alternative supplies available to you. If this happens, you can claim £25. To claim compensation, please contact us.
Get additional support during incidents
Our Priority Services Register is designed for customers with additional needs who may need extra help.
We’re committed to contacting all Priority Services customers during incidents which may affect them, while also delivering bottled water to those who need it.
Advice for water supply issues
If you have no water
If you have no water because of an incident, your water supply should return to normal after the work has been completed.
If we have told you that the pipe has been repaired but you still have no water, please contact us.
During a water supply incident, you should avoid flushing your toilet or using any electrical appliances that use water in your home.
Find out more about what to do if you have no water.
If you have discoloured water
After a water main has been repaired, your water may become discoloured.
White or cloudy water is usually the result of tiny air bubbles in the water. This tends to clear within 24 to 48 hours.
Brown or orange water can be a result of rust sediment in the main becoming disturbed after an incident. This can usually be cleared by flushing your cold kitchen tap.
Find out more about what to do if you have discoloured water.
If your water quality has been affected
If we’re aware of an issue with your water quality, we’ll let you know immediately.
It is very rare, but we may ask you to boil your water before using it. This is a precautionary measure to ensure your safety while we carry out further water quality tests. If this happens, you’ll receive a written ‘boil notice’ which will explain what to do.
A sign your water quality could be affected is a change in taste or odour.
Support for sewer flooding incidents
If sewage enters your home or garden, we will help you to clean it up for free (where possible).
If the sewer flood was caused by a problem with the public sewer, we will compensate you accordingly.
Some compensation payments are made automatically but others need to be claimed.
Find out more about sewer flooding and what to do.