Water supply will not return to Thanet properties tonight following burst at Rumfields tower

Southern Water at the Rumfields burst Photo Neal Parton

The lack of water due to a significant burst at Rumfields water tower will not be fixed by tonight (December 19), says Southern Water.

Properties in Broadstairs, Manston, Margate and Ramsgate -post codes  CT9, CT10, CT11 and CT12 have been without water since early this morning due to the burst at the Rumfields.

A Southern Water spokesperson said two bottled water stations are now operating and stagff will be working to fix the issues throughout the night.

The added: “Our teams have been working throughout the day and will continue through the night to fix the burst water main and return supply to our customers in the Broadstairs, Manston, Margate and Ramsgate areas of Kent. The burst is in a particularly difficult place and the repair is complex which means that water will not be back in supply tonight. 

“We are deeply sorry for the distress and inconvenience that this is causing.  

Bottled water sites will remain open at Dane Court Grammar School, CT10 2RT until 9pm and Asda Broadstairs CT10 2NR until 10pm tonight and will then be open again in the morning.

“We’ve delivered bottled water to almost all those vulnerable customers on our Priority Services Register, and these deliveries are continuing this evening. If you require urgent access to this service, you can sign up for emergency deliveries by calling us on 0330 303 0368.”

Bottled water stations

Dane Court Grammar School, CT10 2RT until 9pm

Asda Broadstairs CT10 2NR until 10pm 

Both to reopen again in the morning.  

Properties without water due to ‘significant burst’ at Rumfields

20 Comments

  1. I’ve been waiting seven hours now for a delivery of water as I am in their vulnerable category. A good neighbour brought me some bottles but feeling that once again disabled people are being marginalised and treated as low priority.

    • I think that’s a bit unfair.
      Southern Water did not plan this leak. They have brought in resources to repair the break, and to supply bottled water at two Broadstairs locations. They also have a list of vulnerable people to whom they are delivering individually. I don’t know how many people are on this list, nor how many employees they’ve tasked with doing the job. But I’m pretty certain that “disabled people are” *not* “being marginalised and treated as low priority”.

    • Here we go again – Ms Tongue now on her soap box about how disadvantaged and hard-done-by she is because Southern Water is not providing her with a personal delivery service of free bottled water.

      She is one amongst many thousands of elderly and disabled residents in Thanet who find it difficult to pop out to the shop to buy some water for themselves. How many personnel and vehicles does she imagine would need to be drafted in to provide the service to which she believes she is entitled ?

      In such circumstances, most normal people rely on friends, relatives and neighbours to help them out – which is exactly what one of her neighbours has done . . .

      • Well said John. My wife is also disabled and requires power chairs, mobility aids, etc to get about. We do not moan everything, being grateful for what we have. We claim no benefits for my wife’s condition and prefer to fund from our savings. Nothing is ever perfect in our world and moaning at every turn does little to help.

  2. Privatisation failing again.You will probably discover that the leaking pipes arent owned by Southern Water and not there fault. Had to replace a faulty water meter recently and it took ages to resolve.Turned out the meters are owned by another company.What a mess this country has become.Its the same with the trains.

  3. A big Thank You to all those that stepped in today getting water bottles to vulnerable residents in St Peter’s state and Beacon ward. Thank you to those friends stepped in helping by driving. I had to go to work but I only mobilised they did the hard work.
    Thank you to Kathy Bailes at Isle of Thanet news for the update too.
    #isleofthanetnews

  4. We are greatly indebted to Kathy Bailes and to Aram Rawf, beacons of light for Thanet, too rarely found

    • But the ASDA one won’t be opening. SW will tell us as soon as they can where the new location will be.
      It would be good if SW would give us an update on estimated time to fix the pipe.

        • This is what SW just told me: “Latest update
          Repairs complete

          We worked through the night to fix the burst pipe so that we can return supplies. The repair is now complete, but it will take time to get the water flowing again to all impacted customers.”

  5. Ironic, really.
    Millions shivering with no heat on.
    Thousands relying on bottled water ,desperate for services to be put back on.
    Sewage openly discharging, untreated, into watercourses and the sea.
    But this isn’t Ukraine, under regular Russian bombs and rockets targeting the infrastructure.
    This is Britain without any hostile military action at all. We are doing it to ourselves!! Our energy systems are fully functional, but just too expensive to be used to the level needed.
    The water and sewage systems are used as a cash cow by big business, taking their slice of the income and not leaving enough for a proper service. The same with the railways. So we, the public, have to keep propping them up with government subsidies. And higher charges.
    From which the owners take an even bigger slice off the top, and the service doesn’t improve.
    This isn’t just moaning. I am hoping that there are alternative policies forthcoming at the next election.
    But I don’t see any improvement coming from the current government who are stuck with failing policies. But nor do I hold out any hope for a Labour government that is led by someone so hell bent on getting into power that he will ditch any fresh ideas in the hope that he can grab a few ex-Tory votes. In order to get elected to do the same thing as the Tories all over again. OK, now THAT IS a reason to moan!

    • Its not all bad news Keefogs, we now have “warm hubs” for people to huddle up in, if they can’t afford to heat their homes, and don’t forget Food Banks! They are have more than trebled, so people don’t go hungry!

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