Southern Water say they have 12,500 bottles of water en-route to the Island today (Monday) to be better prepared for any future emergency situations, such as the one experienced by Ryde residents yesterday.
Over 4,000 properties were without water for up to 12 hours following the burst of a 10-inch and a 12-inch water main on Ashey Road at just before lunchtime. Supplies were finally restored by 23:00 last night, much to the relief of locals.
With no water to drink, wash or even flush the toilet with, residents from the Ashey; Haylands; Swanmore; Binstead and West Ryde areas were desperate for emergency water supplies, but many were left angered and frustrated after being turned away from the single collection point at Ashey Road which at one point ran out of water. Queues were hundreds of people long at times.
Taking to Facebook, Twitter and to Island Echo’s own comment system, those affected by the water supply issue have expressed their anger at the lack of bottled water available, how long it took the water to become available in the first place and the reluctance to issue water to the general populous.
Although water was supplied within 4 hours, Southern Water say that water companies are not required to provide an alternative supply until the 12 hour mark.
In a statement issued to the public via Island Echo, Southern Water have said:
“As your water company we are committed to providing a constant supply of water. Occasionally, the service may be interrupted for repairs or because of an emergency such as a burst main water pipe.
“If the interruption lasts more than 12 hours, water companies are required to provide an alternative supply, for example, bottled water or tankers in the street known as bowsers.
Article continues below this advertisement “We managed to secure more than 5,500 bottles of water (the equivalent of 11,000 litres) and bought them onto the Island. The first delivery of water was provided to customers on our vulnerable list and members of the public with specific requirements within 4 hours of losing water.
“A bowser was also deployed through our Water Direct partners, although by the time it reached the Island water was restored to all properties.
“We have taken on board the concerns that we did not have water available quickly enough and so we have a further 12,500 bottles of water on the way over to the Isle of Wight today to ensure there are adequate supplies for the future.
“We were restricted as to the location of the water drop as we needed to have somewhere central to the incident, accessible by our lorry and could safely host a large number of people without endangering the public. The initial location of Ashey Road was chosen for this reason.
“Due to the large number of people who attended at the initial pick up we had to prioritise those most in need, or at risk, in the early stages. This was initially limited to people with medical conditions that required constant water use and children under one years old. Due the large crowd who arrived on scene, water supplies ran out quickly.
“We listened to customers who felt one drop off point was not sufficient and managed to secure a safe and appropriate second site in Osborne Road, however it took more time than we would have liked.
“We put all of this information across our own social media channels and worked alongside the media to try and get these messages out to as many customers as possible, however we completely understand that with so many people affected, it was not possible to get these vital messages to everyone affected”.
Ashey Road remains closed in both directions between Bettsworth Road and Smallbrook Roundabout whilst repairs are carried out to the carriageway and pavement. It is currently unknown how long the road is likely to remain closed for.
