Water has been bubbling up through the pavement on Chelverton Street near Putney High Street since Friday morning. It’s now Tuesday morning, and Thames Water still hasn’t started repairs.
The leak is visible in multiple places along the pavement, sending a steady stream of water down toward the High Street. A large puddle has formed on the corner where pedestrians are forced to pick their way around while buses and cars splash through.
Four days is a long time for a water main to leak without any sign of repair crews. The water keeps rising through the broken pavement, wasting an unknown volume while creating a nuisance for anyone trying to walk past.
When Thames Water does get around to fixing it, the repairs will mean roadworks at an already busy spot near the junction with Putney High Street. That’s going to cause its own headaches for traffic and pedestrians alike, especially as it is the main exit point for buses from Putney bus garage.
The multiple breach points also raise questions about damage to the pavement structure underneath and how much water has been lost over the past few days.
Thames Water bills itself as responsive to emergency repairs. A water main visibly failing in a public area for nearly four days doesn’t match that billing.
