South East Water issued the appeal on 16 December 2022, asking people to help find leaks inside homes, on business premises and out in streets and fields. The company supplies 2.4 million customers in parts of Kent, Sussex, Surrey, Hampshire and Berkshire1.
The company said the first winter cold snap was due to end that weekend, and that thawing snow and ice makes pipes susceptible to bursting, which could cause damage and waste water and money1. It reported an increase in the number of burst pipes on its own network, with repair teams out 24 hours a day fixing leaks and bursts, and said it was seeing high demand for tap water which it believed could be due to leaking pipes or outside taps left on1.
Steve Andrews, South East Water's Head of Central Operations, set out where householders should look and what to do if a leak is found:
"We are asking people to look in their attics, airing cupboards, under their sinks and to check the taps out in their gardens to see if they have any unnoticed leaks which could be a trickle at the moment but later will cause major damage. If leaks are detected, they should turn off their water supply at the stop tap and call a registered plumber."
The appeal also covered premises that may be empty over the winter and outdoor water supplies for animals. The company asked business owners to check unoccupied premises and landlords to check unoccupied homes, warning that a leak could cause continued damage to the property as well as wasting water. It asked those with outdoor troughs for horses and livestock to check they were not running water to waste or had been damaged by the sub-zero conditions1.
| Who was asked to check | What South East Water asked them to check |
|---|---|
| Householders | Attics, airing cupboards, under sinks, garden taps1 |
| Business owners | Unoccupied premises1 |
| Landlords | Unoccupied homes1 |
| Livestock keepers | Outdoor troughs for horses and livestock1 |
Andrews said it was impossible to predict which pipes would burst and where, so crews had been on standby 24 hours a day and the most serious bursts were being prioritised. He added that while this was the first really cold weather of the winter, there might be further cold snaps1.
Why it matters for households
The appeal applies to households in the parts of Kent, Sussex, Surrey, Hampshire and Berkshire served by South East Water, and to property owners and livestock keepers in those areas1. The risk period named by the company is the thaw over the weekend, when melting snow and ice make pipes susceptible to bursting1. A leak at that stage may show only as a trickle before causing major damage, according to the company1. South East Water's advice, as given by Andrews, is to turn off the water supply at the stop tap if a leak is detected and call a registered plumber1. The company also points to its website, southeastwater.co.uk, for tips on making homes winter-ready and on what to do if there is a problem1. The site's guides on water leaks on your property and frozen pipes cover finding leaks, who repairs them, and thawing pipes safely, within the wider home emergencies and storms and snow sections.
What happens next
South East Water said its crews would remain on standby 24 hours a day over the thaw period, prioritising the most serious bursts on its network, and that further cold snaps were possible later in the winter1. No further dates or figures beyond the weekend thaw were reported.
Sources (1)
- Check for burst pipes as the big freeze continues | South East Water, southeastwater.co.uk
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