Thames Water missed its own deadline to fix a leak on one Putney street this week while residents on another went without water for 48 hours, as the troubled utility company struggles to cope with multiple incidents caused by several days of freezing weather last week.
On Olivette Street, six households have watched water bubble up and pool outside their front doors for seven straight days. Thames Water told the first resident to report the problem that repairs would be completed by 8 January. Three days past that deadline, case number 01460884 remains unresolved.
Meanwhile, residents near Roehampton Lane have faced a different ordeal. After a burst main caused traffic chaos from Tuesday, repair work shifted to another leak on Carslake Road, leaving 44 flats at Woodcoot House without water or toilet facilities for over 30 hours. Local schools and nurseries were also affected.
“To see this quantity of water being lost and wasted is devastating,” said Charmian, an Olivette Street resident. “It is outrageous that Thames Water can choose, it seems, to ignore the waste of water, the risk of damage or injury and the inconvenience.”
Readers have questioned whether the situation constitutes a health hazard. “Why is traffic the main focus when the main problem is lack of water for days?” one commenter asked on our Roehampton Lane coverage. Another noted the absence of any authority figures supporting affected residents.
Are you dealing with a Thames Water problem? Email story@putney.news and tell us what’s happening.
One Olivette Street resident who called Thames Water said the operator “sounded utterly fed up and said very little.” Despite multiple households on the street reporting the leak, Thames Water crews have yet to be seen onsite.
The simultaneous failures come during a period when households are being urged to conserve water and many have had smart meters installed: a stark contrast between residents who ration and limit their consumption while the company allows significant volumes to drain away.
Putney.news has contacted Thames Water for comment on both the Olivette Street leak and the wider capacity issues affecting the area. We will update this story when we receive a response.
The burst main on Roehampton Lane that began on Tuesday affected around 350 properties. Another significant leak is on Carslake Road in West Putney. On New Year’s Eve, another burst main on West Hill forced road closures. Combined with Olivette Street, Putney has now seen four significant Thames Water incidents in just two weeks. And there are likely more.
Thames Water performance
The pattern reflects wider problems at the troubled utility company. Government figures published in November found that 19% of water entering distribution nationally is lost through leakage, a level described as “unacceptably high”.
Thames Water has been rated the worst performing water company for customer satisfaction for four consecutive years by regulator Ofwat, and in October 2025 was ordered to refund £75.2 million to customers for poor performance.
Thames Water, which serves 16 million customers across London and the Thames Valley, has blamed its ageing infrastructure for persistent problems. Almost 40% of its network dates back to before the 1920s, with many pipes made from cast iron that is more prone to failure than modern materials.
The company has been teetering on the brink of financial collapse since 2023 and received a £3 billion emergency bailout in March 2025.
Residents affected by leaks can report them to Thames Water on 0800 714 614 or through the company’s website.
Have you been affected? Is there a leak in your street we don’t know about? Are you still without water? Have you been waiting days for repairs? Tell us what happened and we will put your case to Thames Water. Email story@putney.news.
This story will be updated when/if Thames Water responds.
