Redbridge steps up support for residents and works closely with Thames Water to restore supplies

Published: 11 August 2026 A nighttime scene shows a flooded road beneath an overpass. A fire engine with its lights on is parked in the water, and a few emergency responders stand nearby.

Redbridge Council is continuing to support residents affected by the major water‑supply incident that began on Sunday, when two water mains burst in the South Woodford area. The bursts, including on Chigwell Road and Daisy Road, caused significant disruption across parts of Woodford, South Woodford, Clayhall, Hainault and neighbouring areas, with issues continuing into the working week.

 

At its peak, more than 15,000 homes experienced no water, intermittent supply or lower‑than‑normal pressure. As at Tuesday afternoon, 3,600 homes remain without water. Thames Water has confirmed that repairs are more complex than first expected, requiring excavation, replacement pipework, network reconfiguration and recovery of local storage and pressure.

 

Redbridge Council has been working closely with Thames Water, London Resilience (Gold) partners and local emergency planning teams to ensure residents receive the support they need while repairs continue.

 

Our focus remains on:

 

  • Supporting residents experiencing distress and disruption, particularly those without any supply.
  • Working with Thames Water to accelerate repairs and restore water to homes as quickly as possible.
  • Ensuring Thames Water provides clear communication and appropriate compensation for affected households.
  • Cross‑checking vulnerable‑resident lists with Thames Water so nobody in Redbridge is missed.
  • Monitoring the bottled‑water distribution point in Fairlop and working with Thames Water to ensure it remains accessible and responsive to local demand.
  • Maintaining close contact with residents on the ground, listening to concerns and feeding them directly into Thames Water’s operational teams.
  • Highlighting the added risks posed by the ongoing heatwave, and ensuring Thames Water prioritises rapid restoration of supply to keep residents safe.
  • Offering council volunteers to support Thames Water in staffing their bottled‑water distribution site, ensuring residents receive help as quickly as possible.
  • Providing highways and traffic management support

Bottled water has been delivered directly by Thames Water to water‑dependent customers registered on their Priority Services Register. Public bottled‑water distribution has also been provided at the following locations:

 

  • Fairlop Waters Country Park / Ice Rink site Forest Road, Barkingside IG6 3HN
  • Roding Sports Centre, Luxborough Lane, Chigwell, IG7 5AB.

These bottled water sites will remain open until 9pm this evening. The council has asked for these hours to be extended where possible. 

 

 Cllr Jo Blackman, Cabinet Member for Environment and Neighbourhoods, said: “Residents in Redbridge have faced days of completely unacceptable disruption since the bursts on Sunday, and our priority throughout has been making sure people get the support they need.

“We’ve been out speaking to residents who are struggling without water in the middle of a heatwave, and we’re doing everything we can to push Thames Water to get supplies restored as quickly as possible. We know many residents have also experienced long delays at the bottled‑water stations, and that has added to people’s frustration.

“We’ve been working closely with Thames Water and London Resilience partners to keep services running, and we’ve even offered Thames Water council volunteers to help staff their bottled‑water site, because supporting our community comes first. We will continue to press Thames Water to restore supplies, protect vulnerable residents and ensure proper compensation for everyone affected.”

Residents are encouraged to continue checking the Thames Water website for the latest updates as work continues.