Call for answers from South Staffs Water as 'repaired' water main bursts again
A water company has been urged to invest in its network and stop "disastrous" leaks after a Black Country road was flooded for the second time in four months.
Park Lane West in Tipton was turned into a river today when a water main burst just metres away from where the same pipe ruptured in the autumn.
The side of a house was swept away when the leak sent a torrent of water flooding down the road in October and part of that same house has now collapsed due to the latest incident. A gas main was also leaking nearby this morning.
Meanwhile four schools were forced to close, including nearby Tipton Green Junior School which had only just returned to normal after six classrooms were left under water in the autumn.
The junior school will be closed for a second day tomorrow, it has been revealed.
WATCH: Footage shows Tipton flood and major damage
South Staffs Water is now set to replace the entire 300m section of the main over the next six to eight weeks.
Pete Aspley, wholesale service delivery director at the water company, said: “The water main which has burst in Tipton is in a close proximity to the previous incident in October 2019. We are conscious of the significant impact to the local community, so we have taken the decision to replace the 300-metre length of main in Park Lane West, instead of repairing the section which has burst.
"We believe that this is the only way we can provide reassurance to residents that no further incidents will occur. The work is being coordinated to start with immediate effect and will take about six to eight weeks.
"We are sorry for any distress that this has caused and we are continuing to support any residents who are affected.”
Councillor Maria Compton, deputy leader and cabinet member for safer communities at Sandwell Council, called on the water company to ensure a similar incident does not happen again.
"This seems to be happening more and more in Sandwell and causes major disruption to our roads as well as the massive impact on children’s education and parents who have to get to work," she said.
"In the case of Tipton Green, the school has only just got back to normal after the extreme damaged caused by the last incident at the same location.
"I don't think I'll be alone in wanting South Staffs Water - whose responsibility this is - to not only investigate why this has happened again but also for them to invest in their mains network to prevent further major water mains bursts and the disastrous consequences that come with them.
“I would also like to say a big thank you to council and staff from all of the agencies involved in supporting the local community and who will be involved in the clean-up operations."
The pipe burst at around 4.30am and soon caused a flood of up to 3ft deep which covered the road, nearby gardens and the junior school's yard. The water was cleared by around 9am but debris and mud was left scattered around the area.
'Incredibly sorry'
Andrew Lobley, director of operations at South Staffs Water, said at the scene that he had never known the same main burst in the same place within six months.
"The main that goes through this street is a strategic main, there's been some impact on the broader network, discoloured water and low pressure," he said.
"In October we had a burst pipe, we took that section of pipe out and had it forensically analysed.
"The pipe was in good condition but there was a small area which had been damaged from the outside and that could have been when it was installed in the '60s or when it had work on it.
"The rest of the main got a fairly good bill of health. We don't yet know why this one has burst.
"We're incredibly sorry for the chaos that we've caused again. We are passionate about making sure everybody is OK, everybody is safe and making sure it doesn't happen again.
"I've never known the same main go within the same location in six months, it's incredibly unusual."
Helen Challis, who lives on nearby Manor Road, said she "couldn't believe" she had woken to see the same stretch of road flooded again.
"We just stood around in disbelief," the 44-year-old office manager said.
"There's more mess and debris this time.
"It does make you think whether it wasn't done properly in the first place or they haven't fixed it far enough along the pipe.
"We had the heating on first thing this morning as last time it was turned off for 12 hours.
"It has been a blessing both times that nobody has been hurt.
"Once is bad enough, it's the disbelief that it happened again."
Tipton Green Junior School, which was flooded, and neighbouring Silvertrees Academy, which the water did not reach, were both closed on Tuesday. Shireland Technology Primary and Shireland Collegiate Academy were also shut in Smethwick due to initially having no water supply.
Meanwhile around 150 properties were temporarily left without power and three people had to be rescued from their homes by firefighters in a boat.
