Residents face huge bill to repair leak (From Gazette Series)

Residents face huge bill to repair leak

ANGRY residents of a Cam cul-de-sac could face a £12,500 bill to replace a water pipe after Severn Trent refused to do the work.

On Monday, ten families living in Old Court, Springhill, had their water cut off after another leak appeared in the mains water pipe that serves their homes. This was the ninth time the pipe has leaked this year.

Pensioner Doreen Hawkins said the latest problem started a week ago and she was disgusted that Severn Trent had made no effort to repair the pipe.

"The leak has been reported to Severn Trent and they are refusing to repair it," she said.

"We have had gallons of water pouring out of the pipe since last Monday. The person whose house the leak is in front of called his insurance company to have it fixed, but because the leak is from a main water pipe on the highway he couldn't do anything.

"Severn Trent is refusing to do anything even though an inspector from the company admitted they had put the pipe in. Each time the pipe has leaked they are the ones who have repaired it, although they have also said that the last three times they have repaired it out of goodwill."

She continued: "This is not a private road. It is a council-owned road and we pay full water rates. What we have been told is absolutely ridiculous and disgusting. We can't cope without water. They have been losing thousands of gallons of water through this leak."

Stephen Furneaux, son-in-law of the owner of the house affected by the latest leak, said: "Severn Trent have told us that to replace the pipe is going to cost residents £12,500. They say they that the residents of Old Court are responsible for the pipe here.

"Nobody can afford to pay for the repairs to be done. Surely with a problem like this Severn Trent have got the insurance to cover it."

But a spokeswoman for Severn Trent said the pipe did not belong to them and the responsibility for replacing it was with the residents.

"The pipe that is in need of repairing is not owned by Severn Trent and responsibility for fixing it is with the residents," she said.

"They have been told in the past the pipe needs replacing but they haven't done it. We have a policy whereby we will fix private pipes to prevent water leakage where that is the best option but we will not do it every time.

"The residents have been served with a notice to say that we won't be fixing it again and the pipe needs to be replaced. It is their responsibility." Mrs Hawkins added: "Severn Trent set a precedent by repairing the pipe when it leaked before. I could understand them not doing the work if it was a private road but it isn't."