Households across parts of Redbridge and Essex are facing days of disruption after a Thames Water main burst in Loughton, with the company warning that repairs could take between four and six days.
The burst, in Langston Road, Loughton, began affecting supplies on Wednesday (23 September), when customers in the IG10 postcode reported having no running water. Thames Water says the damaged main is affecting the water supply to homes across the IG10, IG7 and IG9 postcode areas.
What happened
Specialist teams located the damaged pipe by early on Wednesday afternoon. Engineers isolated part of the main to limit flooding and rerouted water through the network, a move that restored supplies for most homes — although some properties were left without water.
The repair effort continued through the night and across Thursday (24 September) and Friday, with crews working extended hours across the Chigwell area.
Repairs could take up to six days
Excavation work on Thursday revealed that a larger section of the main needed replacing than first thought, and further parts had to be ordered, delaying the fix.
In its most recent update, issued at 1.44pm on Friday (25 September), Thames Water said the network was “holding well” and that the large majority of customers were back in supply. A small number of homes may still face pressure issues while the repair continues.
The company says it plans to provide another update by 4.45pm today.
Low pressure, tankers and traffic disruption
Pressure is still fluctuating at busy times, particularly in the morning and early evening, and Thames Water says it should return to normal once the broken pipe has been fully repaired. Most customers were back in supply by early on Thursday afternoon, but intermittent interruptions have continued.
Extra crews and equipment have been brought in. Tankers are pumping additional water into the network, and bottled water is being delivered to customers registered as water-dependent. Traffic management remains in place around Langston Road, with drivers warned to expect delays — coming just weeks after major roadworks at Gallows Corner finally finished.
As of 8.20am on Friday, engineers had identified further points in the network that needed adjusting in the hope of stabilising the area further.
What residents should do
Thames Water has urged residents to treat staff respectfully, follow site instructions and give crews space to work. In a statement, the company said: “We understand how frustrating this is, most customers treat colleagues and partners respectfully thank you for doing the same. Please speak calmly, give teams space to work and follow any site instructions.”
Customers who need extra help are being encouraged to join the company’s free Priority Services Register. Meanwhile, public transport users in the area should note that the Central, Piccadilly and Elizabeth lines face planned closures this weekend.
