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Aug 2021

Environment

Treat burst water mains as emergencies says local expert

Published: 6 Aug 2021, 09:45 BST

Updated: 6 Aug 2021, 11:28 BST

by Tim Flanagan

A Sharow-based international expert who has dealt with major oil spillages, is calling on the government to make water companies handle burst mains as an emergency. A recent leak in the village saw millions of litres lost before the main was fixed.

ripon-5th-august-2021-water-down-the-drain-on-sharow-lane

A Sharow resident has called for mains water leaks to be treated as an emergency.

James Thornborough, who is an international expert on oil spills on land and at sea, has turned his attention to water and raised concerns with Ripon MP Julian Smith. The issue has now been escalated to the Cabinet Office at Westminster.

In the wake of a burst main in Sharow Lane, which was first reported to Yorkshire Water on the morning of Friday, July 30, and finally fixed on Wednesday afternoon (August 4) he told the Stray Ferret:

"When dealing with burst mains, I strongly believe that there is a need for water companies to act with urgency like the blue light services."

Based on the number of homes in Sharow, Mr Thornborough estimates that 2,160,000 litres of water was lost over the five days before the main was repaired.

That's almost the same volume needed to fill the Olympic swimming pool in Tokyo.

Mr Thornborough pointed out:

"Sharow has suffered significant mains water leaks over the last year. No sooner is one fixed when another manifests itself.

"In view of the large amount of a precious resource that goes down the drains before problems are fixed, there is a need to have a robust emergency contingency and action plan in place, rather than treating the repair of mains as a project to be fixed as part of a day-time work schedule."

In response to Mr Thornborough's calls, Mr Smith, said:

"I note the concerns you have raised in this respect, and have sent a copy of your email together with an email of my own, to the Cabinet Office, to pass your points on to the minister concerned about your request, that they conduct a process review of the utility services to establish if they operate distinct emergency services as compared with project-based work hours repairs."

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Mr Smith, added:

"As you will no doubt appreciate, the minister will not be able to reply about individual cases such as that in Sharow, but about the general point you make.

" I will write to you again as soon as a reply is received."

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Treat burst water mains as emergencies says local expert

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