UPDATED Water supplies are gradually returning to thousands of Putney and Wandsworth residents after a major disruption to Thames Water’s Hampton Water Treatment Works on Tuesday.
The utility company’s latest update at 21:30 confirmed that water is “beginning to feed the network of pipes again” following essential repairs and water quality testing. However, the company warned that supplies would improve gradually “as pressure in the pipe network builds.”
The incident, first reported at 14:30 on Tuesday, affected customers across postcodes including SW13, SW14, and SW15 in Putney, along with SW11, SW17, SW18, and SW19 across wider Wandsworth. Parts of Barnes (SW13) were also impacted.
Thames Water’s specialist team has been on site throughout Tuesday working to restore the treatment works. By 18:30, crews were conducting “essential water quality testing to ensure everything is safe” before restarting the site.
The company has not disclosed what caused the disruption at the Hampton facility, which serves a large area of southwest London including additional postcodes in Kingston, Richmond, Twickenham, and west London.
Timeline of incident
14:30 – Thames Water announces issue at Hampton Water Treatment Works affecting multiple postcodes across southwest London. Specialist team deployed to site.
18:30 – Company reports “progress” in restoring works, with water quality testing underway before restarting operations.
21:30 – Water begins flowing back into pipe network. Thames Water warns pressure will build gradually.
The utility company promised its next update by 07:30 this morning.
Residents experiencing ongoing supply issues can register for Thames Water’s free Priority Services Register, which helps the company identify customers who may need extra support during disruptions.
Thames Water apologised for the inconvenience and thanked customers “for your continued patience while we work to fully restore your water supply.”
UPDATE 07:30: Water is now flowing normally through taps for most Putney and Wandsworth residents after Thames Water teams worked through the night to restore the Hampton Water Treatment Works.
Some customers may still experience low pressure “as the water in the pipe network continues to stabilise and the system fully recharges,” the company said in its morning update.
Thames Water’s next update is scheduled for 12:00 on Wednesday.
