Water enters gas network in Widnes after burst water main

Cadent said its teams identified on 14 May 2026 that water had entered the gas network in and around the Coronation Drive area of Widnes, Cheshire, and that there had been a burst water main in the same area¹. In its latest update, timed at 1pm on Sunday 17 May 2026, the gas distributor said it had turned the gas back on to all properties where it had been able to gain access¹.

More than 5,000 litres of water was pumped out of the gas networks, according to the Sunday update¹. On the Friday morning the company said 2,000 litres had been extracted from the gas mains, with more still to recover¹. Cadent's incident page lists the repair of the burst water main by United Utilities, checks and repairs to the gas mains, isolation visits, removal of water from the network and restoration visits as completed¹.

A small number of properties remained outstanding. Cadent said customers in three blocks of flats, at 274 Hale Road, 276 Hale Road and 60 Wyncroft Road, would need to wait a little longer for gas to be restored¹. For the few remaining properties, it said it would continue to visit up to three times and would then leave a card with its details so the resident could call when they returned home¹. The company also said no properties in Coronation Drive itself were thought to be impacted, though an excavation was visible there¹.

Cadent's customer teams have been operating from space given at the New Inn pub in Hale Road¹. The customer contact centre number is 0800 389 8000, open 8am to 8pm Monday to Friday, and the national gas emergency service number is 0800 111 999, available day and night¹. Cadent advises customers always to ask to see official Cadent identification before allowing anyone into their home¹.

Why it matters for households

Households in the affected streets were without gas for heating, hot water and cooking, and Cadent said it was contacting customers on the Priority Services Register to provide additional support, including alternative cooking and heating where required¹. The register is a free service offered throughout the energy industry to domestic customers across England, Wales and Scotland, and people can register themselves or someone they think would benefit¹.

On compensation, Cadent states it has a statutory obligation to pay anyone who is without gas for more than 24 hours after the first complete 24-hour period of being without gas¹. It pays £75 for every 24-hour period off gas to domestic customers and £130 to business customers until the supply can be reconnected¹. Payment is automatic and goes to the customer's gas supplier, whose name is at the top of the gas bill, and Cadent must pay suppliers within 10 working days after the closure of the incident¹. How the supplier passes the payment on depends on the supplier; some may take it off the gas bill and others may send a cheque¹.

Cadent also repeats its carbon monoxide warnings, stating that the gas is produced when fossil fuels including coal, wood, oil and gas are burnt without adequate air ventilation, and that symptoms include headaches, nausea, tiredness, and chest or stomach pains¹. It advises that gas appliances are installed, maintained and fixed only by Gas Safe registered engineers, and checked annually by one¹.

What happens next

Cadent said it would continue to visit the remaining properties, and that its teams would remain in the area¹. The company said it would issue further updates over the weekend only if there was a major change¹. No date has been given for the closure of the incident, which is the point from which the 10 working day compensation payment period runs¹.

For practical steps on coping with an interrupted supply, see the guide to gas and heating failures, and for general household planning, the home emergencies hub.