Damaged Water Main disrupts Village
Lyneham Village Online
5th June 2007
A damaged 12 inch water main at The Wiltshire Golf Club, Wootton Bassett caused disruption to both Lyneham and Bradenstoke. The main supply pipe which provides drinking water to the community had to be isolated while Thames Water carried out emergency repairs to restore the main pressure.

The Wiltshire Golf Club, contracted a third-party building contractor to provide sewage facilities for the additional holiday homes being built on the rolling hillside golf course Leisure Village amenity. We have been informed that during the excavation work a 12inch main water pipe was damaged by the contractors. The Wiltshire Golf Club, which has stressed that they were not responsible for the water disruption and have offered an apology to the community if this inconvienience caused any discomfort as a result of the third party accident.

The water was switched off for a lengthy period resulting in both Lyneham Junior and Infant School having to close for the day owing to no water for the children or staff to drink or flush the toilets.

Local radio and our village forum highlighted the emergency closure of the school, requesting parents and carers to collect their children as soon as possible. A school spokesperson mentioned that this disruption caused havoc among the community, where parents and carers were trying to make immediate arrangements to collect the pupils. Many pupils whose parents were not contacted, children were collected and transported home by known neighbours.

Initial advise from Thames Water indicated that the damaged supply would be temporarily isolated for a period of up to twenty four hours and school children were sent home with a note advising to check first thing in the morning if the school was to reopen.

Fortunately, the water engineers had repaired the damage pipe and restored the main pressure by 4.30pm. A spokesperson for The Wiltshire Golf Club was pleased how quick the enginneers initiated and completed the repair work and how smoothly the operation went.

The disruption to Bradenstoke village came as a surprise and Thames Water anticipated the delay could cause havoc to residents, so they provided bottled water at a collection point by the village Cross Keys public house. This was soon dispersed among residents.

Some forum users were unaware of the disruption and commented when the supply was restored later in the evening "Thank goodness. Fortunately had spent the day in Bristol so was unaware of the problem. It really makes one realise how much we take tap water for granted. I mean, no tea, coffee shower, loo flushing washing up."

Thames Water advised that the disruption to the water supplied was uncontrollable and apologise to residents if it has caused concern. They have restored the supply quicker that anticipated and advised some households water may appear to be 'cloudy' for a short while. The milky appearance is normal as pipes which have been disturbed, result in aeration of the water.

Customers were advised to check if they have cloudy water by filling a glass with the water from the kitchen tap and waiting to see if the milky appearance clears from the bottom of the glass upwards. See images on the left. This is the bubbles dispersing in the water and very normal. Thames Water advised that the water is safe to drink but if residents were still unsure following this simple check, to contact them

You may be interested to know that during the period of 7am and 9am this morning the hit counters for the whole website, indicated over 71% visited this forum thread. At 8.10am we had 47 visitors alone looking at the thread.