Over 1,500 households are still struggling with the impact of a burst water pipe at Heyford Hill roundabout.

The Eastern Bypass was closed to traffic between the Heyford Hill and Rose Hill roundabouts after the Thames Water pipe failed on Tuesday morning, flooding the carriageway.

The section of road remains closed, and drivers were asked to avoid travelling into Oxford on Friday as many roads were congested.

Thames Water said 8,621 households had no water first thing on Friday morning but by midday that number had reduced to 1,763.

Ten postcodes were still affected by low pressure or no water: OX1 (Boars Hill/Kennington); OX2 (Cumnor/Wytham/Godstow); OX3 (New Marston/Water Eaton/Binsey); OX4 (Sandford on Thames); OX9 (Thame); OX10 (Wallingford); OX14 (Abingdon); OX33 (Wheatley/Horspath/Horton); OX44 (Garsington/Great Milton) and HP18 (Hemel Hempstead).

During the morning the water started to come back on in Oxford. 

Some households and businesses in the Horspath area started to regain a water supply with water pressure continually increasing.

Thames Water confirmed the reservoirs serving Milton Common and Thame had a good supply of water but it would take longer for these low-lying areas to fully recover.

A third bottled water station was opened in Thame at Chinnor Rugby Club. Others reopened at Tesco in Ambassador Avenue in Oxford and Asda in Wheatley.

The water company said customers who have lost supply will receive compensation automatically.

Edward McDowall was so frustrated that water supply had not been restored to Garsington by Friday, despite repeated reassurances from Thames Water, that he wrote to the CEO of the water company Sarah Bentley.

He wrote: "Still no water this morning in Garsington despite promises to reinstate supplies yesterday afternoon and then overnight. Still no response from your customer services team either, just a recorded message on the phoneline."

And he said figures being put out by Thames Water "are factually incorrect".

Thames Water denied that it said 300 households were affected but confirmed they had said they received 300 calls in what was an ongoing situation.

Mr McDowall said: "At least 3,000 homes are affected and I suspect that figure may run close to five figures. There are over 106,000 households in the 10 postcodes Thames Water say have been affected by this water main leak.

"Accepting that around half will not have been affected including those in central, west and north Oxford, that still leaves the numerous villages in south Oxfordshire and the edge of south Oxford.

"Households being affected run as far south as Warborough and Thames Water have established a bottle station as far way as Thame.

"That’s a huge geographical area to have been affected.

"According to local government figures the Garsington and Horspath wards have 1,367 households alone and both villages have been wholly affected.

"It cannot possibly be only 290 homes."

Mr McDowall said: "There is an elderly couple near me. They have no car, nor internet. Luckily neighbours, such as myself, have been supporting them to get water.

"There are many people in this situation."

He also said his local MP John Howell "is not interested in supporting his constituents".

"If this was a state-owned company our Conservative MPs would be all over it. As it is they are not interested and there is no accountability for Thames Water's incompetence."

Thames Water has apologised for delays in restoring water supplies.

It said it is aiming to repair the highway and road surfaces in the affected area by Sunday.

Mr Howell said: "We have answered all the emails sent to us by residents. I have been in touch with the Minister. I have also been in touch with Thames Water.

"Thames Water is a private company regulated by Ofwat. Nevertheless, I have raised the issue of bottled water stations and the plight of the villages and the state of Thames Water’s comms system."

 

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