Traders in Margate High Street and New Street are having to contend with a second water burst in a week – leaving some businesses without supply.
Workers attended to fix a leaking water main on May 19 but works took some five days to complete and there was extra disruption due to the bottom of the High Street being made two way while the repair area was shut.
Remo Minerva of the New Street Residents Group said: “Residents spoke with Southern Water and KCC Emergency Highways. PCSOs on duty also made calls and directed traffic for a while as they witnessed the ludicrous situation.
“We have had head to head traffic, drivers on their horns, shouting abuse and mounting pavements on the bottom end of the High Street and food delivery drivers on the clock, picking up orders from takeaways have become very angry indeed!
“Added to this, the new Guest House Hotel is having lorry deliveries as its nearing the end of its refurbishment.
“The road signage looks like a passing drone has sprinkled the area with a bunch of signs pointing any old way! None of it makes sense.
“We had no water in the area on Saturday night and Sunday morning which they were quick to resolve but the traffic situation continues.
“Today (May 26) the water is out on New Street and presumably the surrounding area now. Clients at the hairdressers have been fully shampooed with no water to rinse. Bottled water has been made available.”
A Southern Water spokesperson said the initial leaking pipe was fixed on May 21 and reinstatement of the road had been due following repairs to an electric cable but has been postponed due to the second leak.
The spokesperson added: “We have had a second burst and our teams are on site now. “We hope the situation will be resolved this afternoon although reinstatement of the road will now happen next week. We’re very sorry for the disruption this is causing.”
And the water companies want to charge you more, unbelievable.
If a water main has burst, then the water company hasn’t got much option other than to close the road whilst it carries out the repairs.
That’s going to be a minor inconvenience for a day or two to people who use that road.
And tes: it’s an outrage that water companies are going to put up our bills in order to pay for the work that we’ve been paying for for years.
A day or two inconvenience? There has been a burst water main in Margate Road for over a week now, and temporary traffic lights have been installed to repair it. Not seen any workman activity though! I could be wrong but it may be that SWA employ a contractor to dig up the road, and another contractor to fix the leak. Then another contractor to repair the hole in the road! Thats what happened in my road a few weeks ago, causing no end of trouble, because its only one lane wide. This meant emergency vehicles, and the Bin men couldn’t get through! In fact I moved the barriers around he hole after it was repaired so at least mobility scooters, and young mums with prams had access, Duurh!